The Eastern Cape Health Department launched job shadowing programme at All Saints Hospital in Engcobo, Zithulele Hospital in Elliotdale and Frontier Hospital in Queenstown.
Job shadowing is work experience option where learners learn about a job by walking through the work day as a shadow to a competent worker. It is a career exploration activity which offers an opportunity to spend time with a professional currently working in the learners career field of interest and it is based on a personal exposure through an actual visit to the organisation. It is designed to increase career awareness and help model learner’s behaviour through examples in the workplace.
The aim for the programme is to offer the learners a chance to see what is actually like working in a specific job and observe day to day activities in the particular field and also ask questions where they need clarity. It also gives the learners information on how the potential career would be like and help them decide if the career is the right choice for them.
Speaking at the official launch held in Elliotdale, Senior Manager Training and Development, Mrs. Xoliswa Sikwebu said the programme will be implemented in all hospitals and encouraged the learners to observe and analyse what was being done for them to be able to align it to what they want to do in the future.
She further encouraged managers and teachers to participate in social compact committees and rope in communities in health services delivery working together.
Sikwebu said the learners were free to come to the hospitals for shadowing after the launch and rotate to all stations in the hospitals.
