EDUCATION | Anglican College launches work-shadowing program

Constança Pereira and Ms Winly

The Macau Anglican College (MAC) launched a new work-shadowing program for its senior students this week. As part of the scheme, each participant spends two days in a workplace with a ‘work mentor’ to observe their daily activities and learn about their work mentor’s career path.
With the program being offered as a pilot for a group of Form 5 students, the school explained that “work-shadowing is an invaluable way of introducing students to workplace culture. It enables them to test out their possible career interests and to learn about career pathways and employment opportunities in their area of interest.”
“Programs such as this also benefit organizations and employers. By allowing high school students to gain early insights into how workplaces are organized, as well as what skills are useful for specific careers, and about career pathways into different professions, the quality of the future workforce will also improve,” said a representative from MAC in a statement sent to the Times.
Sixteen students who have signed up to trial the new program in June have been placed in a wide range of organizations and professions, including performing arts, accounting, health, engineering, architecture, education, and tourism. “Most work mentors are volunteers from the school’s extensive parent network,” they added.
Form-5 student Constança Pereira has been completing her work placement at an early learning center called Learn With Me Macau. She recognized that the environment she was located in “built her confidence and determination to strive in this career path.” “Despite not being stationed exactly where I see myself in the future, being with the kids and observing their routine motivates me to do well in my studies and accomplish my goals,” she added.
Her work mentor  at the organisation, Ms Winly, said, “Constança did a great job here! It’s been my pleasure to help the work- shadowing program”.