This year, on the 10th of February in Latvia and all around the world took the place an international Shadow Day which is included in the career education program Junior Achievement, with the main purpose to promote career growth and development of young people.
As previously reported, the transport and logistics company Sonora offered an opportunity for schoolchildren to take part in Shadow Day by offering to take an insight of daily responsibilities of the Head of Marketing and the Business Development Director. At the end there were three ladies who used this opportunity.
Liva Vaivode, the student of Grade 11 of Jelgavas Spidolas Gymnasium, was shadowing
Business Development Director Normunds Volbets. For Liva Shadow Day has become as the annual tradition, and about this years Shadow day she says: “No doubt that this has been the most valuable Shadow Day experience I have ever had. I was attracted of the responsive and friendly staff who shared their work experiences and showed their selves as a coherent team. I understood that it is important to continuously develop yourself and to get valuable contacts, which later can be useful in business and private life.” During the day Liva had the opportunity to take an insight of different departments and their work specifics and daily tasks. Liva found out what means customs services, cargo transportation and customer service.
Meanwhile, Zlata Pavlova and Elina Pabērza, students of Grade 10 of Riga State Gymnasium No 3, were shadowing the Marketing manager Santa Veinberga. During the day girls joined meetings with IT professionals and a Sales manager of promotional advertising company, which gave a little insight into marketing manager`s work on a daily basis. Shadowing activities Elina commented as follows: “I liked to see the daily routine in a relaxed atmosphere, it was also interesting to meet industry professionals who work in different areas. It became clear that to reach goals and summits of your life you need to work very hard. But it will be worth of it, because later you can do what you love! ” Zlata agreed with Elina by saying that the “Shadow Day was an interesting experience where to get a lot of information which could be useful in the future. Now I know in what direction I have to move, where to put my energy and effort to become a good marketing specialist. ”
Sonora employees feel happy that they had a chance to share their knowledge and job experience with young generation who is the future of Latvia. Sonora marketing manager Santa Veinberga admitted that “High school is the time when you need to choose in which sector you want to build the future career. It is very tricky and difficult because world gives you a lot of options, but you do not have any practical knowledge and experience. You even does not have a clue what lies beneath the words “logistics” and “marketing”. There is only a rough idea about it. Therefore, the Shadows Day is a great opportunity for everyone to get acquainted with different professions and gain a short insight in the daily working reality. I believe that these young people gained a valuable experience! Besides, Shadow day helped me to choose my profession as well. ”
As acknowledged Liga Mengelsone, General Director of LDDK: “Strongest Latvian companies are the ones who think about the long-term development and about how to invest in outstanding young employees even while they are still studying in school. Shadow Day is an excellent opportunity to inspire young people to study exactly those professions who has a demand in labor market.” Sonora agrees with Ms.Mengelsone and invites other Latvian companies to join Shadow day in the future because by helping to build careers of young people, we can develop the economy and living standards of our country.
