Rep. Zamarripa talking to students from Bradley Tech High School about the importance of staying in school during the Job Shadow event.
Milwaukee high school students learned about the importance of staying in school from Representative JoCasta Zamarripa (D-Milwaukee) and local AT&T employees as part of a day-long Junior Achievement (JA) job shadowing event. The goal of the program was to help high school students make the connection between success in the classroom and in the workplace.
Rep. Zamarripa met with nearly 20 students from Bradley Tech High School during the day’s program and spoke with them about her career that led her to the State Capitol and the importance of doing well in school.
“Job Shadowing encourages young people to rethink their futures,” said Rep. Zamarripa.
“For some, it might be a new determination to graduate rather than dropping out. For others, it might be a potential new career. Programs like these help students see new possibilities and challenge themselves to achieve their full potential.”
Building on the program’s success and positive impact, students went to work with AT&T employees as part of the initiative’s fourth year in the Milwaukee area. Students participating in the AT&T / JA Worldwide Job Shadow Initiative “shadowed” AT&T employees during their regular work day to see firsthand the educational background and skills they need to succeed on the job. Last week, nearly 40 students from South Division High School in Milwaukee participated in Job Shadowing at AT&T’s Milwaukee headquarters.
“We are committed to helping future generations in Wisconsin by showing them the importance of staying in school,” said Dextra Hadnot, director of Government Affairs & External Affairs for Wisconsin. “We’re proud to join with Representative Zamarripa in her mission to ensure that the young people in our state receive the best possible education.”
This event was part of a multimillion dollar, multiyear job shadow program funded by AT&T and in conjunction with Junior Achievement to help combat the nation’s alarming dropout rate. More than 1.2 million American students drop out of high school every year, with many saying they simply don’t see the relevance between school work and life success. Begun in 2008, the AT&T / JA Worldwide Job Shadow Initiative is committed to reaching 100,000 high school students through Job Shadowing events nationwide.
AT&T Wisconsin is holding eight Job Shadowing events throughout Wisconsin this week, reaching nearly 220 high school students from schools in Milwaukee, Middleton, Appleton, Menomonee Falls, and Waukesha.
“Job shadowing provides students with an invaluable firsthand workplace experience, as well as exposure to role models and potential mentors,” said Tim Greinert, president of Junior Achievement. “For many, it opens their eyes to possibilities and options for their future that are far beyond what they experience in daily life. It also helps prepare our Wisconsin young people to effectively compete with their peers around the country and the world, as the global economy becomes increasingly interdependent and interconnected.”
Recent findings from a report evaluating students who participated in the AT&T/JA Worldwide Job Shadow Initiative show the program is making a significant impact and is changing attitudes about staying in school:
- 99 percent of students who participated in the program felt that it was important to graduate from high school.
- 93 percent felt that their ability to set goals had improved as a result of participating in Job Shadow.
- 98 percent agreed that doing well in school will help them achieve their career goals.
- 90 percent felt that the experience made them more aware of career options.
- 89 percent reported that participating in Job Shadow made them realize the importance of staying in school.
AT&T’s job shadow campaign is part of AT&T Aspire, a $100 million initiative to address high school success and workforce readiness. Aspire is AT&T’s most significant education initiative to date, and one of the largest ever corporate commitments to address the specific issues of high school success and workforce readiness.
For more information about the AT&T/JA Worldwide Job Shadow Initiative, please visit www.att.com/jobshadow.
For more information, contact:
Jessica Erickson, AT&T Public Affairs O: 608-282-7870 C: 608-692-5340 jessica.erickson@att. com
Tim Greinert, Junior Achievement President 414-577-3810 tgreinert@jawis.org