How job shadowing helps.....Ahni Georgerian
Written by Ahni Georgerian, Marietta High School
I have participated in multiple programs with BB2C. I have attended 3 job shadows and, as an upcoming Marietta High School senior, I am currently volunteering/interning for my senior capstone at the BB2C Makerspace.
My job shadows have led me down an interesting path of career options. My sophomore year I started with my Computer Design job shadow at Ohio Web Pro Design. I chose to shadow this particular business because, at the time, I thought my future was in computer programming/software. Although I soon learned that computer design wasn’t for me, as I leaned towards a more tactile approach to design, it was an enlightening and educational experience. Through the shadow experience I was introduced to the world of design, client service, and business. This led me to my second job shadow placement.
My second job shadow, also during my sophomore year at Marietta High School, was conducted at the marketing firm Clayman & Associates. Going from computer design to marketing was quite a big jump as far as job roles and expectations. This second shadow taught me a lot about working with clients, the process behind formulating ideas with a team, and granted me a unique outlook on producer and consumer roles.
To me, these two job shadow experiences helped formulate my current career path of Engineering. Through these shadows, I was able to combine my love for design, creativity, my desire to work with a team, and the appeal to solve real-life problems, to land on the field of Engineering.
I attended my third job shadow in my Junior year at Chemours, a global chemical company, under the role of engineering. My experience at Chemours was very well rounded, I was able to talk with Mechanical, Chemical, and Field Engineers and explore their different jobs, interests, and educational paths. It introduced a lot of new aspects to engineering and helped start me on the path of pursuing engineering in college.
My multiple job shadow experiences helped narrow down what seemed like an impossible task of choosing a major for college. I have bounced around different career paths for many years and I think that, without the shadows, I would still be feeling lost in the vast world of choosing a career.
My expectations for my senior capstone project this summer were quite frankly to be given busy work till my hours were up. However, that is not the experience I’ve had. It has been very encouraging volunteering at the BB2C Makerspace. I have been given tasks that challenge me and push me past my comfort zone, completing jobs I never knew I was capable of, such as photography and blog-writing for a professional organization. I’m so thankful for all the guidance I’ve received from mentors here and am excited to continue volunteering for BB2C in the future, discovering and building new skills through my senior capstone.