Students get hands-on knowledge of future careers.

Local students wondering “what do I want to be when I grow up?” got a chance to try out their careers first-hand on Friday.

Job shadow students in studio with morning host John Summers

Participants in the 11th annual Groundhog Job Shadow Day spent the morning learning about careers that went from the mundane to the macabre.

One student who wants to be a mortician learned about special effects makeup. Several others followed school administrators around, learning that running a school isn’t nearly as easy as it looks. One of those was a student named Laura, who shadowed Saugus principal Bill Bolde.

Job shadowers Raymond McArthur and Tyler Kulesz with morning host John Summers

“I realized I didn’t know it all,” she said, to much laughter. “I learned a lot about problem solving and thinking outside the box.”

Asked what she planned to study in college, she answered “psychology” – a skill used every day by school administrators.

Kathy Norris, executive director of the Valley Industrial Association, had her shadow there early for a meeting.

“My student,  Monica, from Bowman, was there at 7:30 and she helped us do some planning,” Norris told a luncheon crowd gathered at the city’s activity center. “It was an interesting experience and I think I learned just as much from her as she did from being my shadow. She asked me what I liked most and least about the job, so I told her I liked the accounting but hated the public speaking. That’s why I got up to talk, I had to hold the mike and speak – I’m doing this for her.”

Five students – Raymond McArthur, Sammi Lanthier, Tyler Kulesz, Breeahrah Babers and Pedro Mara – visited KHTS, sitting in studio with morning host John Summers (and going on the air to help with announcements), learning about sales from Sharon Bronson, worked the engineering board with Jason Endicott and talked about news gathering and website management with myself and Jon Dell.

Carol Maglione, interim executive director of the SCV School to Business Alliance, told the crowd that the first year the event was held, there were 10 students and one business owner involved. This year’s event drew more than 300 participants, including 72 businesses, from mom and pop stores to large corporations.

“Your parents all want you to be self-reliant and productively employed,” said Valencia High principal Paul Priesz. “They want to see you in a career and moving in a positive direction. The reality today is that there are more college graduates than there are jobs, but those who have career goals are the ones who get the jobs. We’re here to help you with that today.”