Job Shadow Program

Job Shadow is a one day opportunity for Ohio State engineering students to spend time with industry professionals at an employer’s site, observe engineers, and learn more about professional roles related to their major.  The shadows takes place at various company locations throughout Ohio during Ohio State's Spring Break Week (March 9-13, 2020).

Student participation requirements:

• Engineering students registered with ECS
• Be available during business hours on the day of shadow
• Responsible for transportation to employer site

Why students should participate:

• Network with companies & engineers from Ohio State's top employers
• Gain insight to possible engineering careers related to your major
• Learn about a "day in the life" of an engineer
• Experience professional workplace and company culture
• Spark interest in areas of study or industry

Timing and Important Dates :

• January 6-Feb. 2:  Employers submit job shadow information to be published for students
• January 30-Feb. 28*:  Students sign up for job shadow events (NOTE:  Full list of job shadow opportunities will be available the week of Feb. 3.)
• March 9-13:  One day job shadow events take place over spring break

*Students may not make changes to their job shadow selections after Friday, February 28th at 5:00pm.  Cancelling after this date will be categorized as a "late cancel" and will put a hold on the student's ECS Handshake account. Similarly, "no showing" to a job shadow event will result in a hold on a student's Handshake account.

Click here to see a list of participating employers with majors and job shadow dates.

How students sign up:

1. Identify job shadow events that you are interested in attending during Spring Break week.

• Click on the Events tab at the top of your Handshake homepage.
• Select Search Events and enter “job shadow” into the search box on the right side of your screen.
• Review all the ECS job shadow opportunities noting dates, times, and locations. Multiple job shadows take place daily over Spring Break week. 
  • Remember you may RSVP for only ONE event per day!

2. Sign up for job shadow event(s) by clicking +RSVP for Event on Handshake. RSVP’ing to a job shadow event means that you are committing to attend the event

• Agree to the Student Job Shadow Participation Agreement for each company event.
• Note that once you sign up for a job shadow in Handshake, you are confirmed for the event and will receive a confirmation email from Handshake.  You will not receive any further communication from ECS after that.

3. Ensure that you have a successful Job Shadow!

• Review the Professionalism handout (found in Handshake) in preparation for your job shadow.
• Follow up with the company contact afterwards with a thank you note.​