Charles County Public Schools is looking for volunteers to participate in its job shadow program that pairs students and business leaders. The job shadowing experience is a chance for students to explore careers and employment prospects.

Kick-off for the job shadowing program is on Groundhog Day, Feb. 2, and continues through March 13. Students job shadow between 8:30 a.m. and noon; however, other arrangements can be made for unique experiences.

Last year, 9,702 students participated in job shadowing activities and the school system’s goal is to maintain this high level of student participation in 2009. Career readiness is one of the three focus areas of the Charles County Public Schools five-year-plan for students. Job shadowing experiences help heighten student awareness of the link between school work and the world of work, said Connie Jones-Mouton, coordinator of minority achievement for CCPS.

Call (301) 934-7245 or e-mail cmouton@ccboe.com for more information or to volunteer. The job shadowing experience can be tailored to meet the needs of the student and business. The deadline to volunteer is Jan. 16.

A CCPS job shadow volunteer form is available for download on the school system Web site at http://www2.ccboe.com/pr/enclosures/2008-12-29-JobShadowForm.pdf.