Editorial
BY Jeff Taylor
Jeff Taylor is Founder and Chairman of Monster, the leading global careers Web site. Monster is national sponsor of the Job Shadow initiative.

Graduation season is now upon us. Each spring brings a flood of newly minted graduates -- both high school and college -- into the world of work. In today's difficult economic climate, it is an extreme challenge for young people to find meaningful work. The media has focused lately on the shortage of opportunities for recent graduates and how these workforce hopefuls are navigating the time-honored journey into adulthood and economic independence. As many adults have learned, focusing early on a specific career path provides the critical edge needed to land a job, particularly in today's competitive market.

There are many resources to help young people along the career path, including Internet career sites, books and school-based programs. The National Job Shadow Day initiative helps students explore various vocations by spending a day with a workplace mentor. The initiative is a coordinated effort of America's Promise, Junior Achievement, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the U.S. Department of Education. As I have witnessed first-hand, a day at a company can spark passion in a young person, by fueling their interest in an industry, and more importantly, their future.

Numerous studies support the benefits of workplace exploration for both students and teachers. One such study from the Kravis Leadership Institute at Claremont McKenna College, indicates students who job shadow are more positive about their future; more likely to complete high school, attend and graduate college, and be productively employed. That's good news for an education community continually striving to motivate students. Furthermore, in a recent Western Institute for Research and Evaluation (WIRE) survey commissioned by Junior Achievement, 86 percent of students revealed that participating in job shadowing activities positively changed their attitudes about working. With the dozens of young people I've had the pleasure of meeting, work is no longer a four-letter word. Rather, it's an exciting and inspiring place for them to grow and realize their dreams.

Schools and the business community alike have embraced job shadowing for the past six years. According to the WIRE study, when students were asked, "where would you go to find out about different career options?" nearly 40 percent selected job shadowing, showing a 17 percent increase over a year ago. We know students are looking for insight into what their future holds: more than three-fourths are not interested in following the career path of either parent.

Last year alone, more than one million students had the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience in over 100,000 companies across the country. While many companies have accepted the challenge of youth mentorship, thousands more are needed to help our graduates find meaningful, productive work. Investment in practical student mentorship will enable today's youth to transition smoothly from the classroom to the boardroom with a skill-set that has been honed and polished by consistent interaction with business professionals. The foundations of tomorrow's workplace, our students will be the engine behind the nation's business community.