Miller Middle School eighth grader Yessenia Alvarez Zamora holds a cat as she learns from Dr. Grant Jacobson at the Hometown Veterinarian office during a job shadow experience recently.
Eighth grade students in the Extended Learning Program at Miller Middle School are participating in a job shadowing program which has them at several area businesses learning real world skills.
“Before my students set off for high school and really start focusing their studies on a career path I wanted to give them some exposure to what careers really look like in practice,” said Miller XLP teacher Ann Jackson. “Each student conducted some background research on a career they were interested in, and then I tried to find something similar in the Marshalltown area to give them a real-life experience. The students then go to the work sites for a half-day to get a feel for their chosen career. “
Students have chosen a wide variety of careers from chemical engineers to librarians and Marshalltown businesses have been tremendously supportive and accommodating for our students. A student interested in architecture got to go to the Crosby Park Townhomes construction site. A student interested in veterinary medicine got to do a pregnancy check on a cow and another student interested in physical training learned how to set up workouts.
“I feel like these job shadows are a great way for my students to learn not only the academic requirements needed for success in the workplace but also the ‘soft skills’ they will need, like collaboration, time management, and collegiality,” Jackson said.
Mrs. Jackson would like to thank the following local businesses for supporting this effort: Stover Controls, the Marshalltown Public Library, Crosby Park Townhomes, Steckelberg Vet Clinic, Hometown Veterinarian, Sports Plus, Wertzberger Architects, Emerson and Clapsaddle-Garber Associates.
