High Schoolers Get Glimpse into Workforce, Gain Career-Ready Skills During Job Shadow Week

By 2020, the United States is expected to add 16 million “new-collar” jobs that won’t necessarily require a college degree but will require skilled workers. That’s why K12 and Tallo have launched Job Shadow Week, a national movement to open students’ eyes to alternative career pathways and ensure employers have access to a talent pool of qualified candidates.

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While spending time with an employer in their area over the week of July 15-19, students will receive early exposure to the world of work and walk away with job-specific insights such as the level of education and/or technical training that each require. Students will end the week with a better understanding of what high-paying, in-demand positions interest them most, plus an idea of what they have to do to get there.

“Our current approach to workforce development—which puts a career after education as two separate things—is no longer serving our students or our economy,” said Leilani Brown, senior vice president for Strategic Partnerships at K12 Inc. “Students are graduating from high school and often even college without the skills they need to immediately launch a successful long-term career. This hurts them just as much as it hurts employers, and we need more mutually beneficial student-employer partnerships to close the growing skills gap.”

Among the industries hardest hit are healthcare; IT; manufacturing and skilled trades; agriculture, food and natural resources; and business management and administration—all fields that many students incorrectly assume they’ll need a college degree to get into.

“The sooner students are aware of their career options and informed of the appropriate next steps, the better prepared they’ll be to take on life after high school,” said Casey Welch, president and CEO of Tallo. “Talking to and working with potential employers will only enhance their understanding of what comes next, and how to get there efficiently."

During Job Shadow Week, students engage with participating organizations according to employer preference, whether that’s by matching students and employees 1-to-1 or hosting a group of students full-time, part-time or even virtually. No matter the format, students’ greatest takeaways will be the lessons learned, observations made, and a clearer plan for their future.

Learn more about Job Shadow Week by visiting: https://jobshadowweek.com

About K12

K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN) takes a personalized approach to education by removing barriers to learning, reaching students where they are, and providing innovative, high-quality online and blended education solutions, curriculum, and programs to charter schools, public school districts, private schools, and families. In total, this work serves more than 70 public and private schools, more than 2,000 school districts, and students in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The company, which has delivered millions of courses over the past decade, is taking a leadership role in career readiness education through K12-powered Destinations Career Academies and Programs which combine traditional high school academics with Career Technical Education (CTE). K12 is a proud sponsor of the Foundation for Blended and Online Learning, a nonprofit organization dedicated to closing the gap between the pace of technology in daily life and the pace of change in education. More information can be found at K12.com, destinationsacademy.com, jobshadowweek.com, and getfueled.com.

About Tallo

Tallo (formerly STEM Premier) is an online platform that connects talent with opportunities. The Tallo app assists students in designing a career pathway, educators in recruiting top talent to their schools, and employers in developing a stable, continuous talent pipeline. Students (age 13+) and professionals showcase their skills and abilities in their online profile, connect directly with companies and colleges looking for the next generation of talent, and match with over $20 billion in scholarships. For more information, visit www.tallo.com.

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