Take a Concordia student to work

If she had had a chance to observe a professional on a typical workday, Concordia alumna Annie Prigge would have jumped at the chance.

That’s why Prigge, who has worked for the federal government since 1999, leapt at the opportunity to let students from her alma mater shadow her at work for the day.

“I thought it was such a great idea, and I wanted it to work,” says the senior market support officer for the Canadian Forest Service. “It’s a pretty big leap from the academic world to the professional one.”

Concordia University launched its Job Shadowing program in 2010. Run by Advancement and Alumni Relations (AAR) in collaboration with the Concordia University Alumni Association, the program matches students with volunteer hosts to give them a glimpse into their chosen career.

Prigge, a graduate of the School of Community and Public Affairs, spent days with two different Concordia students to show them the ropes at her Ottawa workplace. As well as speaking with them at length, she gave each a workplace tour and introduced them to colleagues who also spoke with them individually.

Justin Kingsley, vice-president of strategy at Sid Lee, a creative services firm, said he participated because he wanted to say “yes” to counter all the times he’d received a “no.” “When the only cost is a little bit of time, I think you should give it,” says Kingsley, who also volunteers in AAR’s Dinner for Eight program (allowing groups of students to chat with professionals over a meal) and other university activities.

He strived to give his “shadow” an accurate portrayal of a normal day in his line of work. What did he get out of it? “The knowledge I was helping and the opportunity to meet a person who was driven to succeed. It’s a win-win situation.”

Gentjan Protoduari was the IT services manager at Air Canada when he took a student under his wing. He had two reasons for volunteering to be shadowed.

“First and foremost, I felt obliged to return the favour to Concordia, the university that helped me set the foundation for a successful career,” says Protoduari, now an operations manager with the airline.

“Second, I know how important it is for a student to get some exposure to the real world, so by helping them understand the industry forces — the politics of an organization, its vision, strategy, and the day-to-day operations — I believe that I became part of the student’s growth.”

Protoduari found that explaining what he and his colleagues do and what projects they work on helped him better define his own role.

Prigge agrees it’s a worthwhile investment for the workplace host. “I really hope a lot of people volunteer,” she says.

If you would like to be a host in the Job Shadowing program, please contact Rose Wangechi at rose.wangechi@concodia.ca or 514-848-2424, ext. 7377.

Related Links:
•    Job Shadowing program
•    Advancement and Alumni Relations
•    Dinner for Eight
•    Concordia Mentor program