When the groundhog peeks his head from his hole on February 2 to look for his shadow, he might have a hard time telling which one is his.

Groundhog day is also Job Shadow Day nationwide, and area coordinators are seeking area professionals who are interested in taking a student to work to let them see how the skills they learn in the classroom translate into the working world.

Butler County School to Work Coordinator John Salter said the program is used to help young people discover what careers they might be interested in, and how they should prepare for that future path through academics and training.

"This is our future work force," Salter said. "We are investing in the future and it gives the student the chance to see if they're interested in a career and what they need to prepare for that career."

He said that volunteering to have a shadow for the day requires only an interest in sharing knowledge with a young person who is interested in a particular field, and that all occupations are encouraged to contact him to volunteer.

"We need people in manufacturing, retail, medical, legal, technical and professional occupations to allow a young person to shadow them for a day," he said. "One of the main benefits the students receive is motivation to be more inquisitive about possible career choices."

The nationwide program called Groundhog Job Shadow day is dedicated to providing America's students with a first hand look at how the skills they learn at school are used every day in the professional world. Persons interested in participating in this program should contact John Salter at 382-0266.