UWindsor students participate in job shadow activities with hosts from Vista.UWindsor students participate in job shadow activities with hosts from Vista.

Job shadow experience gives students a glimpse into future careers

UWindsor students looking to gain insight into potential career paths had the unique opportunity to shadow professionals at their jobs for the day through the Job Shadow Experience, a career exploration program offered through the Office of Career Development and Experiential Learning (CDEL) during Reading Week.

This year’s hosts shared valuable career advice and planned engaging activities to help students learn about the intricacies of the occupation and the skills required to succeed in the industry.

UWindsor student Sarvesh Patil visited Rocket Innovation Studio to shadow an associate software developer, which he found to be extremely beneficial in learning about the industry and role he hopes to seek with his degree.

“As an aspiring engineer in the software field, I got insights into the I.T. industry’s work culture, tools, and technologies used by software developers in their work. It was a great opportunity to learn about how web developers apply their tech skills, and how teamwork and communication are also important for projects,” says Patil.

The program also proved to be a valuable experience for international students looking to gain insight into the Canadian workforce. Nadeem Ahamed has been in Canada for less than a month and shadowed a facilities and plant engineer manager at Vista.

“The experience helped me to remove mental burdens related to my career interests, and gave me an inside look at the journey and decisions executives have taken to reach the position they are in,” says Ahamed. “I feel every student should have such an experience to understand the pros and cons of the industry they are interested in.”

Job shadowing helps students make connections between classroom learning and real-world job requirements, says Krista Kelly, manager of CDEL: “It helps them to discover firsthand if a particular career aligns with their interests, and the chance to reflect on their own skills and knowledge afterwards to determine any gaps.”

Some 40 professionals hosted 83 students, welcoming the opportunity to provide job shadow experiences in diverse work settings.

Tyson Cragg, executive director of Transit Windsor, calls his experience very positive.

“Our student was engaged and attentive and had a keen interest in the services that Transit Windsor provides to the community,” Cragg says. “I believe this program is a great aid in assisting students with choosing rewarding career paths.”

Tharsiga Selvathilagan, campus talent team lead at Geotab, says “it’s a pleasure participating in this program as is helps both the student and employer grow their network and stay connected.”

Faculty and staff interested in participating in the Job Shadow Experience program are invited to contact careerservices@uwindsor.ca for more information.