EXPLORING CAREER REALITIES: ELEVATING GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY THROUGH JOB SHADOWING
Keywords:
Innovation, job shadowing, teaching and learningAbstract
Many students in higher education institutions face significant challenges in bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application within real-world work environments. The Job Shadowing program aims to provide participants with an immersive glimpse into the daily operations of different jobs and workplaces, offering invaluable insights into real-world work environments. As part of the program, students engage with startup companies for a total of eight hours, have the chance to observe firsthand how these businesses function and are tasked with a project to address. Upon completion, students present their findings to the organizations, then receive valuable feedback. The program's effectiveness is assessed and compared through pre- and post-program tests. It revealed a significant improvement with 60% of participating students demonstrating enhanced test scores. Overall, the performance of program participants surpassed that of their non-participating peers, underscoring the program’s impact on bridging the gap between academic theory and practical application.References
Abe, S., Matsuka, Y., Murakami, A., Rodis, O. M. M., Oka, K., Okawa, T., ... & Kawano, F. (2022). Job Shadowing for early undergraduate dental students: Evaluation and validation of educational effectiveness using structural equation modelling. European Journal of Dental Education, 27(4), 898-907. doi: 10.1111/eje.12880
Almalag, H. M., Saja, M., Abouzaid, H. H., Aljuffali, L., Alzamil, H., Almater, L., Alothman, L., & Alzamel, F. (2022). Evaluation of a multidisciplinary extracurricular event using Kolb’s experiential learning theory: A qualitative study. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 15, 2957–2967. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S389932
Gall, M. D., Borg, W. R., & Gall, J. P. (1996). Educational research: An introduction (6th ed.). USA: Longman Publishing.
Husebø, S. E., & Olsen, Ø. E. (2019). Actual clinical leadership: A shadowing study of charge nurses and doctors on-call in the emergency department. Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine, 27, 1-9. doi: 10.1186/s13049-018-0581-3
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.
Kolb, D. A. (2005). Learning Style Inventory Version 3.1. Boston: Hay Resources Direct.
Mafinejad, M. K., Sarani, H., Sayarifard, A., Rostami, D., Shahbazi, F., & Gruppen, L. (2022). Insights on my future job: Implementing near-peer shadowing program for operating room freshmen. BMC Medical Education, 22(1), 72. doi: 10.1186/s12909-021-03071-2
OECD. (2022). Job shadowing: A guide to delivering an effective career development activity, OECD Education Policy Perspectives, 62. https://doi.org/10.1787/614f4e25-en
Padron, T. C., Fortune, M. F., Spielman, M., & Tjoei, S. (2017). The job shadow assignment: Career perceptions in hospitality, recreation, and tourism. Research in Higher Education Journal, 32, 1–20. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1148919
Paris, K. A., & Mason, S. (1995). Planning and Implementing Youth Apprenticeship & Work-Based Learning. Madison, Wisconsin: Center on Education and Work.
Radwan, A. F., & Mousa, S. A. (2022). Job shadowing: An evaluation of a training program for enhancing the communication skills of students during COVID-19 in Sharjah, UAE. The Sharjah International Conference on Education in Post COVID-19 (pp. 93-103). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.
Succi, C., & Canovi, M. (2019). Soft skills to enhance graduate employability: Comparing students and employers’ perceptions. Studies in Higher Education, 45(9), 1834–1847. doi: 10.1080/03075079.2019.1585420
Suyansah, Q., Gabda, D., Jawing, E., Kamlun, K., Tibok, R. P., Wendy, H., & Xe, W. N. Y. (2023). Students’ academic performance and soft skills on graduate employability among students in Universiti Malaysia Sabah. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2650, 030020. doi: 10.1063/5.0111263
Van Wart, A., O'Brien, T. C., Varvayanis, S., Alder, J., Greenier, J., Layton, R. L., … & Brady, A. E. (2020). Applying experiential learning to career development training for biomedical graduate students and postdocs: Perspectives on program development and design. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 19(3), es7. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.19-12-0270
Yong, B. P. P., & Ling, Y. L. (2023). Skills gap: The perceptions of importance of soft skills in graduate employability between employers and graduates. Journal of Techno-Social, 15(1), 16-33. https://penerbit.uthm.edu.my/ojs/index.php/JTS/article/view/10525
Downloads
Additional Files
- Figure 1: Kolbs (2007) Experiential Learning Cycle
- Figure 2: Research Design
- Figure 3: Comparative analysis between participants pre-test and post test results
- Figure 4: Comparative analysis of performance between participants and non participants
- Figure 5: Level of acceptance of learning experience among participants
- Figure 6: Level of acceptance of corporates involvement in helping students to gain real-world experience
- Figure 7: Experience with Job Shadowing will help student in future employment
- Figure 8: Recommendation to peers