NAMPA, Idaho — The Nampa School District and the Nampa Chamber of Commerce have joined together to launch a job shadow program for students as part of their Career and Technical Education (CTE) program.
On February 15, the Nampa IGNITE pilot program provided an opportunity for 60 students from the district to spend 3 hours with a local businesses to get to know how their area of interest functions in the real world.
The program is made up of 29 different CTE pathways, and students are combined into 12 different fields, including engineering, construction, business management and entrepreneurship, cosmetology, finance, automotive, culinary, child care, law enforcement, graphic design and photography, health professions and agriculture.
Several local businesses partnered with the district to offer training and time to students looking to gain insight on possible career paths after they finish high school.
"The program gives students a real-world opportunity to see if the career they are interested in is really a good fit for them," says Amy Bowman, Director of Communications for the City of Nampa.
Spending time with actual professionals offered a glimpse into real world applications of what is being taught in school. The connection gives insight to both boardrooms and classrooms while establishing relationships in the community.
“We’re excited for this valuable experience for our students,” said Cindy Arnzen, Director of CTE for the Nampa School District. “Getting to observe their chosen pathway in real life provides learning opportunities beyond what we can provide for them in the classroom. The continued support and commitment of our community partners is a big part of what makes Nampa such a great place to learn and to grow.”
The overall goal is for the community to come together and give students hope and a future.
"A big thank you to all the participating businesses. Without you this wouldn't be possible," adds Bowman.
