ARLINGTON, Va. -  more than 40 students from Arlington Public Schools visited local business sites through the Arlington Chamber of Commerce's Job Shadow Day.

Job Shadow Day provides an opportunity for students to experience real-world work environments that can inform their career aspirations and their own personal growth. By witnessing professionals in action and understanding the day-to-day operations of different industries, students can make informed decisions about their future career paths.

Job Shadow Day was organized by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce’s Education and Workforce Development Committee, in partnership with Arlington Public Schools' Career Center. The Education and Workforce Development Committee, chaired by Dr. Liza Durant of George Mason University, fosters relationships between education and business to enhance Arlington’s ability to keep and attract talent, and develop our local workforce.

This year was the first in-person Job Shadow Day since 2019. The Committee hosted the previous Job Shadow Days virtually due to the pandemic. Interested sophomores and juniors from all Arlington public high schools participated in the event, with each student selecting a preferred career path. The students were then matched to a participating employer.

The event began with a kick-off event at Amazon's HQ2 in National Landing. Chamber President & CEO Kate Bates gave remarks at the kick-off, expressing how this event ensures that students can meaningfully learn about different career opportunities and gain exposure to fields outside those that their parents work in. She applauded the students for taking the step to actively learn about different sectors, and shared her own experiences of interning at different organizations which led her to a career in nonprofit association work.

Following the kick-off, students then visited one of thirteen job sites all across Arlington. Over a two-hour period, students at job sites received an overview of the company, were introduced to staff members and learned about career opportunities in that specific job sector.

The thirteen participating local businesses and organizations were:

 1919 Clarendon Apartments

Alair Homes - Arlington

Arlington Independent Media

Arlington Strategy

Bean, Kinney & Korman P.C.

George Mason University

Kitchen of Purpose

Mastercard

Mercedes-Benz of Arlington

Residence Inn by Marriott - Rosslyn

Rios Partners

Signature Theatre, Inc.

VHC Health, Women & Infant Health Building