Exposure to “real life” professional experiences through a shadowing scheme that matches penultimate and final year students with employers

Abstract

This paper reports on a learning development project undertaken during 2010 – 2011. The Work-Shadowing Scheme (WSS) was primarily developed in response to feedback following the National Student Survey (NSS). The NSS brought to light the apparent discrepancy between, the number of structured programmes City University London host that offer exposure within professional environments (for example, formal placement schemes) and the number of students looking for experience within a professional context. In an attempt to bridge this gap, the Career and Skills Development Service began thinking about how to implement a scheme that would provide City students with a unique opportunity to gain professional experience across a variety of industries. The WSS project was designed to provide students with the opportunity to shadow a guide from a sector of their choice. Typically, students requested to shadow guides in industries associated with their course, however an additional benefit of the WSS was the potential to shadow a guide within a sector that was not traditionally associated with their degree. On completion of a shadowing experience, students were given the option to shadow two more employers. This aspect of the scheme was further commended, and students reiterated the benefits of gaining „snapshots‟ of multiple sectors before making crucial career decisions.

Publication Type:	Article
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
Departments:	Professional Services > Learning, Enhancement and Development > Learning at City Journal

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