Students experience job shadowing for a week

All Form 4 students at St Margaret Girls' Secondary School, Cospicua, took part in a week-long job shadowing experience earlier this month. The aim of the programme was to bridge the students' experience at school with that of work, to encourage students to continue their studies beyond secondary school, and to guide them on post-secondary courses that lead to qualifications needed for their preferred jobs.

The students experienced work at the Malta College of Arts Science and Technology's Institute for Community Services and hair salons, Access, including Home Start, the Police Academy, the national library, St Vincent De Paul Hospital, Malta International Airport, a television station, various kindergarten centres, supermarkets, and a pharmacy, among other placements.

The feedback received from the various employers that hosted students was very positive.

At these various places of work students gained first-hand experience of the codes of ethics, dress codes, punctuality, self-discipline and responsibility. It also boosted their self-esteem.

The job shadowing was co-ordinated by guidance and counselling teachers at the school and formed part of its careers guidance programme. The guidance teachers also organised visits to ETC centres where the process of seeking and applying for a job was discussed.

Students wrote their CV and a letter of application asking for a job.

The students also took part in a careers seminar, at which attending job interviews was one of the topics discussed.