Community business leaders will meet Friday to plan sponsorship of this year’s Groundhog Job Shadow Day Feb. 2. Sponsored by the Education Committee of the Natchez-Adams County Chamber, the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority and Junior Achievement, the job shadow day will allow local ninth grade students a chance to see how school work has practical applications in the real world.

The day is also planned to help get students thinking about careers, said Winnie Kaiser, community development director for the Natchez-Adams County EDA.

&uot;Job shadowing provides exciting reasons why students should stay in school,&uot; Kaiser said. &uot;It creates a critical link between education and success — between learning and earning.&uot;

For a workplace to participate in the program, they must agree to host a group of students for one morning at their place of work. Students will tour the job site and shadow an employee for two hours. The employer is then asked to provide a lunch for the students before they return to school.

Kaiser said Groundhog Job Shadow Day provides multiple opportunities for businesses to showcase the place of work and increases visibility in the community, prepare a future workforce for your business and inform students about careers in your business or industry

Employees in the host business also benefit, Kaiser said. Participation in the job shadow day helps host employees to enhance professional growth and sharpen communication skills, showcase employee skills and education to the local education community and provide opportunity to become positive adult role models.

Students selected for participation in the shadow day activities must earn the privilege, she said.

&uot;They must have achieved the right to participate through good grades and teacher recommendations,&uot; she said.

Initially, Kaiser said the school to careers program planned for 50 children to participate in the one-day program. &uot;If we receive more community participation, we’ll expand that number,&uot; she said.