ATHENS – A countywide Job Shadowing Day provided high school students from Athens and Limestone County with an immersive experience in the professional world this week.
Hosted by the the Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce, the event brought students and local businesses together, offering students a unique opportunity to explore diverse careers.
“We are thrilled to facilitate this event that connects our local businesses with the bright young minds of our community,” said Pammie Jimmar, president of the Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce. “Job Shadowing Day is a chance for students to discover their passions, learn about different industries, and envision the possibilities that lie ahead.”
Businesses opened their doors to high school students, allowing them to shadow professionals. Through this hands-on experience, students gained insight, saw day-to-day operations, and engaged with industry experts, ultimately helping them make career decisions.
As part of the daylong program, Athens Intermediate hosted eight students who shadowed teachers and school counselor Courtney Bell.
“They came from different high schools in Limestone County or Athens City,” Bell said. “And they shadowed teachers, our librarian, and myself throughout the day to kind of see if this is something that they wanted to pursue after high school.”
Bell said she loves sharing her experiences with students eager to take part.
“I think I’ve got the best job and I I love doing it and love sharing it with other people, especially people who want to come into this profession because we need people who are passionate about what we’re doing,” she said.
Bell said the student who shadowed her was a bit surprised by how much they do.
“It was just kind of a go, go all day long. I’m not sure she was expecting it to be that busy,” said Bell. “We were in the middle of something and we’d get up and have to go do something else. We come back to try to finish something. We would see different students. We get up and go do something else in the middle of trying to get some paperwork done.”
After the experience, Bell is optimistic about the future workforce.
“I think she’s still very interested after the full day,” she said. “And that’s fantastic!”
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