Butler County Career Academy is allowing the students the opportunity to experience time on the job through the BCCA Job Shadowing Program.  Job shadowing is a work based learning experience that provides students an opportunity to explore various careers by observing workplace mentors in actual work situations.  The purpose of Job Shadowing is to provide students with an introduction to specific careers and career clusters.  Students’ selection for participation in Job Shadowing is to be determined by the Local Education Agency (LEA).  Students in grades 11-12 can benefit from this work-based learning experience.  The students are responsible for demonstrating a professional attitude and appropriate conduct.  An academic grade will be awarded to the students; however, no wages (pay) will be earned by the students for this experience.

The students have adequate supervision as required by the LEA.  In job shadowing situations, Butler County Career Academy has taken extreme precautions in selecting locations and occupations to be shadowed for our students.  Each student should submit permission forms signed by the parents/guardian as required by the LEA to participate in the work- based learning experience.  Additional requirements may be established by the school or LEA in which students and parents will be informed of in a timely manner.

Mr. Cleve Poole of Pioneer Electric Cooperative and Mr. David Hutchison of Workforce Development supported this idea that with the students gaining this experience will give Butler County a more competence workforce to sustain our current jobs in Butler County as well as help with recruitment of new business and industry to Butler County.  Otis Grayson, Butler County Career Coach along with Career Technical Education Director Jennifer Burt were able to listen to what the business and industry wanted within their workforce and create a learning environment within the classroom to properly prepare the students for this experience.  Counselors was able schedule our students to experience Job Shadowing as a part of their classroom experience, and the instructors assisted in the selections of students that would take part in this experience. Currently BCCA have 10 students from Greenville High, Georgiana High, and McKenzie High enrolled in this program with four locations sites.  Ms. Gavin, Health Science Instructor stated, “The hands on experience within the actual environment is vital to the learning experience of her students.”