For the past several years, Niles West seniors and juniors have been participating in Job Shadow Career Day. This is a day for students to shadow a person currently working in a field that interests them and get a feel for what a career in the field is like.

In previous years, the application process was open to all students. This year, however, Education To Careers Coordinator Lisa Edelson has changed the application process.

“This year I am working closely with teachers in various career pathways. There are some cases where I will send out a mass email to seniors and/or juniors to see if there is interest in a particular career path. I don’t want to get the students’ hopes up that they will be selected to participate when they are not in a Career Pathway classroom,” Edelson said.

For those who have the opportunity to do so, most teachers said that it is beneficial for the students who wish to participate.

“I think it confirms or reinforces someone’s career choice. After they graduate from college, sometimes, kids come back and say, ‘That wasn’t what I thought the career entails and I don’t want to go into the that field anymore.’ That’s beneficial as well,” college and career counselor Daniel Gin said.

Many students who participated in Job Shadow Career Day last year found the experience to be overall helpful.

“Participating was beneficial to me because it helped me see what I’m working hard to achieve. It gave me insight on what my future could be like. I would definitely recommend participating if you get the chance, because it’s a great experience and keeps you excited for the future,” senior Ashweita Ajith said.

As it is currently scheduled, careers in law enforcement or fire science shadow days will be held on Thursday, Oct. 20; Wednesday, Oct. 26; Thursday, Nov. 3; and Wednesday, Nov. 9 (other dates will be assigned on an as-needed basis). For more information, contact Lisa Edelson at [email protected].