Report on the Extended Pilot of the Job-Shadowing Experience
Project: Mind the Future
2nd Year VET Students – Escola Pia Santa Anna Mataró
As part of the Mind the Future project, the 2nd-year VET students from Escola Pia Santa Anna Mataró participated in an extended pilot of job-shadowing experiences aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and empathy. This initiative provided students with the opportunity to engage directly with a variety of professional roles, ranging from administrative tasks and sports monitoring to swimming pool lifeguarding and youth activity coordination.
Throughout 2 to 4 hours per session, students immersed themselves in real working environments, observing day-to-day operations and interacting closely with experienced mentors. Through this hands-on approach, they were encouraged to reflect on core values such as diversity, inclusion, respect, and responsibility. These encounters allowed them not only to explore career paths but also to develop a deeper understanding of the human and social dimensions of each profession.
The feedback from hosting professionals and entrepreneurs was overwhelmingly positive. Many highlighted the students’ curiosity, sensitivity, and respectful attitude. As one mentor expressed, “It’s refreshing to see young people so engaged—not just in what we do, but in how we do it.” Another noted, “They didn’t just observe—they connected with the values behind our work.”
The experience successfully combined experiential learning with value-based reflection, reinforcing the importance of empathy in entrepreneurial contexts. It also demonstrated the effectiveness of job-shadowing as a tool for vocational orientation, helping students shape their future with greater awareness and purpose.