Ground Hog Shadowing Day

February 13, 2014 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(JACKSONVILLE, Florida)  This February, the Jacksonville Job Corps Center once again participated in National Groundhog Job Shadow Day (NGJSD), a national campaign that gives young people a new perspective on their studies through hands-on learning and a one-day mentoring experience.

Students were paired with a mentor who they “shadowed” throughout the day to experience how the skills they learned in the classroom can be applied to the real world. This event also provides an opportunity to introduce future employees to the vast array of careers available through the Job Corps Training Program, as well as supporting our center’s community efforts.

Mrs. Joyce Couch, Vice President of Residential Housing at Jacksonville Housing Authority, welcomed the opportunity for students to shadow her for the day. Ms. Couch provided a tour of her office and shared the day to day responsibilities of her job. Jacksonville Housing has been a Work Based Learning Partner for many years and has hired Job Corps students.  Other companies that participated in the center’s Ground Hog Shadow Day event was Nationwide Insurance (Mr. & Mrs. Evelyn Ray-Rodgers – owners), Mrs. Rodgers provided Ms. Zuleyma Ayala with a birds-eye view of what it takes to run a successful insurance agency.  Two students from the Computer Services Technician Trade had the pleasure of shadowing the Center Director at the Jacksonville Job Corps Center, Mr. Kenderson Hill. Student Tamar Smith and Timothy Miller were delighted to have the opportunity to experience the day to day operations of running a Job Corps Center.

Career Source, which was formerly Work Source, where Mr. Faron Miles is the Executive Director also invited our students to shadow members of the Career Source staff.  Mr. Miles’s assistant, Mr. Daryl Sidney, worked with four of the Office Administration Trade students to assist them in understanding the art of excellent customer service.  The students were delighted to have the opportunity to utilize their on center skills training.  Lakeside Nursing Home also hosted students for the hands on GHSD activity. Lakeside currently has 3 students at their facility working through our Work Based Learning Program. Other participants in the GHSD activities were in Construction, Facility Maintenance and Certified Nursing Assisting.  All of the partners provided positive feedback to the center on their experience with the students.  A huge thank you goes to Mrs. Tamara Foreman, Supervisor of Career Transition Services, and Ms. Zena Foster, Work Based Learning Coordinator, for assisting with the co-ordination of the activity.

Submitted by: Joann Manning