PLC Honored by 3E Institute

This year all students in the junior class at CAT Pickering are required to complete a job shadowing experience. The intention is for students to spend a full working day shadowing a mentor, learning about industry standards and occupational responsibilities.  Job shadowing is an 8 hour partnership between school and community where each student spends the day on a job site working with a mentor.  This activity requires planning and collaboration between the student, his/her Career and Technical Education Teacher, a Community Partner and parents.  Each student must complete an interview with their mentor and create digital documentation of their job shadowing experience.  They write a refection about the experience and each component is added to their career digital portfolio.  Their digital portfolio is presented to a panel of experts from industry at the end of their senior year as a graduation project requirement.  Out team met with industry partners from The Chester County Economic Development Council, a Regional Career Education Program Consultant to discuss resources and partnerships for our students with the intention of increasing opportunity. The goal of job shadowing is to connect students to community partners who are currently employees or business owners in the area of a student's specific career and technical education program.  Students build relationships through this experience and the connection provides them with potential cooperative education and/or employment opportunities.  Students reflect on the day and bring back valuable knowledge to their program about current applications and new techniques being used throughout the industry.  Job shadowing meets student needs through real world experiences, helping connect school to career.