Creating work shadowing opportunities

The information below provides guidance around creating a work shadowing opportunity and the process for uploading to our myAdvantage jobs portal and advertise to students. If you require further support, please email .

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Consider the purpose of offering work shadowing and brief observations of work

What are you looking to achieve to create a mutually beneficial experience for both the individual shadowing and those being shadowed/observed?

an opportunity to showcase your business
raise your brand profile
give a flavour of what it is like to work for your organisation and the working environment
an opportunity to feed into the existing planned recruitment cycle
connect with students and hear their motivations and interests
build relationships for opportunities as they arise and how to apply
encourage staff to reflect on their work, career and professional skills

Who are you looking to attract?

Undergraduate/postgraduate?
Does year of study matter?
From what discipline?
How many students?

What areas need to be considered?

If the role is suitable for shadowing, particularly where there may be issues regarding confidentiality of information and data?
Any additional information such as Health & Safety considerations and/or risk assessments that may need to be completed?
How will the shadowing support brief observations as opposed to contributing to your business outputs?
How will the opportunity help students gain an insight into your organisation, an area of work, a ‘typical’ day for a role?
How will the experience help inform future decisions and understand early career opportunities?
Are there skills to help students become work ready or particular skills you want to highlight?
When is the right time?
When and where will this take place?
Who is required to support?
What is an appropriate duration – a few hours or a few days linked to recruitment activity?
Will UK travel costs and expenses be available to support more diverse student engagement?
Is this the right time to plan and co-ordinate?
Will you be looking to gain feedback about the experience?

Agree a format

Possible format could include:

A Short presentation on the company
- Your purpose, culture, workplace challenges, sector, roles
- Give a flavour of what it is like to work for your organisation, the working environment and what it is like to be part of the team
- How to prepare and become work ready - organisational awareness, professionalism, hybrid working
- Share work experience opportunities and early career opportunities and how to apply
- Opportunity to ask questions
Tour of the location
Gain feedback from students – you could ask about rise in student confidence, learning gain, their desire to work in the sector, what they will do as a result of attending, and any feedback on the format

Reminder for cost: Although you will want to plan for the event and will take time out of the day to host students and discuss their observations, the student is only visiting. They will not be undertaking work of any sort and, as such, there are no pay-related costs.

How to advertise to students

Step 1:

Step 2:

Create a ‘Work shadowing’ vacancy* using the vacancy template

*Suggested areas for inclusion in the vacancy:

title includes ‘Work Shadowing’ or open to work shadowing opportunities during a certain period
company information
why you are offering opportunity
who you are looking to attract
share format of work shadowing
who they will be work shadowing
when, where, dates and how long the opportunity is for
what the opportunity offers (networking, gain knowledge and insight into a role, develop career thinking and CV) and what it can lead to
what skills you are looking for and evidence of these
how to apply – CV, cover letter
Share if expenses are available

Step 3:

Upload to myAdvantage as ‘Work Experience’, students will apply to you directly

If you wish to discuss further or want to advise one an opportunity has been uploaded, please email