A Job Shadow Experience, with Junior Achievement Kenya.
Bata Shoe Kenya has been partnering with Junior Achievement (JA) over the years. It is the largest non-profit organization (NGO) dedicated towards addressing the fundamental social and economic future. As a responsible corporate, we always give students and the youth an opportunity to experience the work environment through job shadowing.
This year we gave Limuru Girls’, Dagoretti Boys, Starehe Girls’ High Schools an opportunity to visit the company to understand its operations and also to explore various career paths in line with JA’s “work readiness” pillar.
The students were taken through a brief introduction about the company’s history, mission, vision and values. They were given an overview of the different departments within the company, including manufacturing, design, marketing, healthcare, finance amongst others. Additionally, the students were taken through a guided factory walkthrough where they familiarized themselves with?overall production processes from the initial design to the final product. They also got an opportunity to understand the entire value chain process; giving them a glimpse of not only careers but equally how businesses operate.??
Thereafter, the students were attached to various departments where representatives shared their experiences and personal career journeys, highlighting the educational qualifications and skills required for each role. The professionals emphasized the importance of passion, hard work and continuous learning in order to succeed in their careers of choice.
During a joint mentorship session, the Regional Human Resources Director- Mr. John Ngoru, encouraged them to embrace the season noting that education is the most valuable asset they have at the moment and they need to give it the due concentration in order to shape their future to the right direction. He encouraged them to avoid drugs & substance abuse and to equally choose their friends wisely as it largely affects who they become.
The Chief Accountant- Vaillant Odhiambo noted, “always remember that opportunity meets preparedness. As such, you need to be always prepared in order to seize opportunities as and when they arise and that starts now when you are in school. Please ensure that you use your time in the right manner that will earn you value later in life”.?
Coming to the end of each day, both the students and their teachers were appreciative of the opportunity the students had to be mentored and attached to various employees. Starehe Girls school captain; Nelly Nemphiris relayed her gratitude on behalf of the team, stating “We have received great exposure and mentorship today and we do not take it for granted. Bata has opened up our minds to a world of careers we did not really comprehend of. Coming here, some of us had vague career and life ambitions but we leave here better people. Being that most of us are in senior grades in high school, it comes in handy for us as we prepare for college and the career world. We cannot thank you enough”.
Indeed, the visit served as a platform for the students to envision their future careers and ignite their motivation to pursue their dreams in various industries.?