Presented by: Susannah Howe, Mary Moriarty

1. Job Shadowing
New Perspectives,
New Ideas, New Interest
Susannah Howe, Smith College
Mary Moriarty, Smith College/NSF
8 November 2012

2. Context
• Engineering at Smith
• Liberal arts college
• B.S. Engineering Science
• 25-35 majors/year
• Motivation/Objectives
• Provide students window
into engineering workplace
• Increase awareness about
opportunities for women in
engineering

3. Logistics
• Recruited potential workplace hosts and
engineering students
• Matched 14 selected students (across class
years) with hosts based on location & interests
• Ensured students coordinated and completed
one-day shadow visit with assigned host
• Implemented shadow assignments/assessments
• Provided student shadows a small stipend

4. Timeline
Pre-Visit
Report and
Survey
Shadow
Visits
Host
Survey
MayJanDecNovOctSepAug Mar AprFeb
Focus
Group
Panel
Presentations
Post-Visit
Report
Post-Visit
Survey
Shadow
Recruitment
Host/Shadow
Matching
Host
Recruitment

5. Shadow Hosts and Locations
Shadow Locations

6. Knowledge + Confidence
3
8
1
2
1
1
3
9
Pre-Visit Post-Visit
1
7
6
1
3
4
6
Pre-Visit Post-Visit
None
Slight
Some
Moderate
Substantial
How much knowledge do you have
about a day in the life of an engineer?
(# in circle = # of responses)
How much confidence do you have in your
own potential for success in engineering?
(# in circle = # of responses)

7. Shadow Goals (Pre-Visit)
n=38

8. Shadow Goal Achievement
n=32

9. Shadow Takeaways
n=42

10. Shadow Observations
• Tasks/Responsibilities
• Communication/Collaboration
• Work Schedule/Balance
• Work Environment
• Gender Issues
• Self-Confidence
• Future Engineering Plans
Shadow Observations:
• The gender balance in
engineering workplaces
is generally more male
than female
• Women engineers are
sometimes faced with
sexism, but it is not a
big issue in engineering
workplaces
“It really helped me to see
that it is possible to succeed
as a woman in engineering
regardless of the path.”

11. Benefits
For Shadows:
•Experience a day in the
life of an engineer
•See how the technical
skills and knowledge
from class are applied by
engineers
•Network with practicing
engineers
For Hosts:
•Connect with and
support a future
woman engineer
•Share experiences
and knowledge
about engineering
work with your
shadow

12. What Shadows and Hosts Say
“[Hosting] was
incredibly rewarding.”
“I think it is invaluable. I
think that a combination of
classroom and ‘real world’
experience is very important
to prepare for an
engineering career.”
“Beforehand, I imagined the
engineering workplace to be
one way, and now I realize
there are so many different
options. I am looking forward
to finding the option that works
for and excites me.”
“The shadow experience made me more
interested and excited about engineering
because I was able to see things that I
had learned in class applied to real life
problems in the workplace.”

13. Contact Us!
For more information, for shadow program
materials, or to become a potential host or
sponsor:
Prof. Susannah Howe
EGRshadow@smith.edu
413.585.3626