Job Shadow requirement prepares Brewster seniors for life after graduation

BREWSTER – Many, if not most, of Brewster High School seniors looking forward to June 6 graduation have a sound idea of a career or workforce path they intend to pursue, courtesy of a requirement called ‘job shadowing’ that must be completed to earn a diploma.

As the name implies, job shadowing involves a mini-apprenticeship with a local business where a senior devotes 21 hours to learn the basics of its operations, followed by a summary flyer documenting the experience.

Computer Applications instructor Jeff Dowd teaches job shadowing as part of a school program called Senior Success. 

“It’s all about exploring a real, possible career,” said Dowd, “Go shadow a doctor for 20 hours before you spend nine years and a hundred thousand dollars getting certified, then realize you don’t like being a surgeon.”

“The school board established the graduation requirements,” said Dowd, citing the remaining five at BHS.

• 25 credits (specific required classes plus electives)
• State exam or pathway.
• High School and Beyond Plan. 
• Resume (started as freshmen and updated through seniors)
• Senior Presentation (includes job shadow summary)

Job Shadowing is designed to prepare seniors for that 13th year, the one following graduation, where they transition from high school to success in the business world, Dowd said.

Dowd sends a letter to parents explaining the job shadow process and inviting them to follow their senior’s progress on his website.

“Students will use professional communication skills to ask permission to shadow and interview a company employee,” said Dowd. “Students will follow guidelines published on the teacher’s class website and will turn in assignments for credit in their Senior Success class.”

Students are encouraged to plan their job shadow time around school days. After school, during teacher workdays, on school breaks, and on school holidays are ideal for shadow time.

Shadow Plan

Dowd supplies a timeline of a typical senior’s job shadow experience:

September

• Conduct research on the senior’s personality and interests to identify possible careers to explore.
• Identify the company and specific individual for the job shadow experience.
• Send a professional business letter and email asking for job shadow opportunities.

October

• Communicate effectively by email to confirm on-site participation dates; submit schedule on teacher website.
• Finalize a list of questions to be asked during job shadow.
• Mentor selection approval; first meeting plus four hours due.

From October to February of the following year, the job shadow experience takes place.

January

• Next 10 hours due

February

• 21-plus hour job shadow experience completed.

Early March

• Job shadow flyer documenting experience created in class; thank you card written and sent.

Mid-March

• Senior presentation, including job shadow experience, created in class; speech practiced to classmates.

Late March

• Senior presentation to parents, advisor, and community members.

Administrator, business endorsements

"Job shadowing offers our seniors an invaluable opportunity to step into real-world careers and experience firsthand what their futures could look like,” said Brewster School Superintendent Lynnette Blackburn. “It's one thing to learn about a profession in the classroom, but seeing it in action builds clarity, confidence, and purpose. We are committed to ensuring our students leave high school with a strong sense of direction and a deeper understanding of the opportunities that await them."

“The students who put a lot into this project have wonderful things to say about it during their senior presentations,” said BHS Principal Jake Johanson. “We have had many students pursue a career based on what they were exposed to during their job shadow experience.”

Brewster Marketplace is one of the local go-to businesses that encourages job shadow applicants, said Avis Anson, Administrative Assistant and HR Manager. 

“We’ve had several people who continued on after graduation and worked through the summer before they went to college, and then came back during break and worked some more,” said Anson. “We had some that worked here for many years after job shadowing.”

Local school comparisons

“We used to require a senior project and presentation,” said Bridgeport school counselor Jen Varrelman. “We no longer have that requirement because a larger population of our students are doing college in the high school and earning AA degrees.”

Mansfield High School has a 16-hour job shadow requirement that is divided between the two semesters, said senior advisor Jamey Jo Steele.

“In the first semester I have them shadow a job they want as a career,” said Steele. “The second semester I have them choose something as far opposite from their first choice as they can get.”

Pateros High School does not require job shadowing as a graduation requirement but does offer the program in its curriculum, said school counselor Amy Stennes.

Mike Maltais: 360-333-8483 or michael@ward.media