King’s University College, an affiliate of Western University, has recently launched a new Job Shadow program. Students who register in the program will have the opportunity to attend a workplace for a one-day placement where they can learn about a typical day within a career or industry of interest to them. The program also helps students to build their professional networks, and connects employers to potential new hires from King’s!
Through the King’s Job Shadow program, students and employers will achieve the following outcomes:
Student Outcomes
- Gain self-confidence while working within a professional environment
- Gain experience and awareness of workplace cultures and norms
- Increase knowledge about the daily tasks and expectations in a role of interest
- Demonstrate effective, professional relationship management skills
- Develop new contacts and professional networks within London and surrounding communities
Employer Outcomes
- Attract potential new employees
- Benefit from students’ current knowledge, creative thinking, flexibility, and fresh approaches
- Develop mentorship skills in existing employees
Placement Dates
Placements will ideally take place over Reading Week, when students will not experience any conflict with their class schedules. There are two Reading Weeks per academic year, one in November and one in February.
What will King’s students bring to the table?
King’s is a unique learning environment, where students graduate with valuable qualities, such as:
- Strong interaction and relationship building skills
King’s is situated on a smaller campus with smaller class sizes. This provides students with more opportunities to forge meaningful relationships with their instructors and with each other, while developing strong communication and networking skills.
- Social/Emotional Intelligence
Social/Emotional Intelligence is strengthened through the practice of reflection and the development of collaborative learning relationships (Devis-Rozen and Farquharson, 2020). The small campus and class sizes at King’s makes it easier for such collaborative learning relationships to develop, and King’s faculty actively incorporate reflection into their coursework.
- Spiritual Consciousness and Moral/Ethical Values
Spiritual Consciousness refers to a state of mind which “supports an examined morality grounded in the universal principles of justice, love, and compassion” (Korten, 2006, pg. 47). As a Catholic university which welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds, King’s prepares students to ask the big questions and engage deeply with life’s everyday problems
Profiles of Students Currently in the Program
This year there are approximately 40 students in the Job Shadow program. This includes students from all program years (undergraduate years 1-4), and from a variety of academic programs, including:
- Social Justice and Peace Studies
- History
- Social Work
- Psychology
- Criminology
- Business and Finance
- Disability Studies
- Thanatology
- Childhood and Youth Studies
- Sociology
- Political Science
- Economics
Students have articulated a variety of interests when it comes to the kinds of positions they are looking to shadow. Some examples include:
- Mental health and addiction services
- Finance and accounting
- Banking and investments
- School-based Social Work
- Law and legal services
- Human Resources
- Investigation and policing
- Cognitive and Neurosciences
- Speech and Hearing Services
- Marketing
- Government / Civil Service
- Teaching
How to Get Involved as an Employer Partner
Many more employer partners are needed to ensure students will have an opportunity to find a relevant and meaningful match for their Job Shadow placement. If you are interested in getting involved or learning more, please contact Jenny Richmond-Bravo, Experiential Learning Coordinator, by email: jenny.richmond-bravo@kings.uwo.ca.
