Grade 11 Students Gain Real-World Insight Through ABQ Job Shadowing Initiative

Grade 11 students from all three ABQ International Schools once again took part in the annual Job Shadowing Initiative (JSI) recently, marking another successful year of meaningful career exploration across the ABQ network. Close to 200 students submitted their preferred career fields and were matched accordingly with professionals, companies, and organisations that could offer them first-hand exposure.

The JSI is designed to help students bridge the gap between school and the professional world. For many teenagers, the workplace is unfamiliar territory. They may have career aspirations, yet very little understanding of what those jobs truly involve. Through job shadowing, students are given the unique opportunity to observe a typical working day, interact with industry professionals, and gain insights into the expectations, responsibilities, and realities of the career they are considering.

This hands-on experience plays a vital role in helping students make informed choices about their future. By seeing the working world up close, students can better understand whether a particular field aligns with their skills, interests, and long-term goals. Some students discover a passion they hadn’t fully realised before, while others learn that their initial choice may not be the right fit—an equally valuable outcome.

The initiative also nurtures important skills such as communication, professionalism, critical thinking, and adaptability. These real-world experiences help students appreciate the importance of responsibility and initiative, qualities that employers value and that will serve them well in any future career.

The ABQ Job Shadowing Initiative continues to be one of the school network’s most impactful programmes, empowering students to step confidently into the next stage of their academic and professional journeys.