As part of this year’s Job Shadow Day, two students from Estonian upper secondary schools joined Metrosert as job shadows: Edward, a 9th-grade student from Gustav Adolf Grammar School and Annaliis from Viimsi Gymnasium.
Edward spent the day alongside Kaupo Reede, Head of the Biorefining Unit, acting as Head of the Applied Research Center. He got a glimpse into discussions on development opportunities for Estonian companies, the importance of applied research, and also participated in project meetings and laboratory visits.
According to Kaupo, his job shadow “literally followed like a shadow through all meetings and discussions,” taking the day seriously, asking questions, and keeping up with the pace. Among other things, the student was introduced to the autonomous vehicles lab and joined a visit to TFTAK, where he also had the chance to explore the laboratory. “I believe it significantly broadened the young person’s horizons, and it will take some time to process all the information,” Kaupo noted. “Job Shadow Day is important because it helps spark young people’s interest in engineering—who knows, maybe one of these job shadows will become a future intern or even a colleague.”
In his feedback, Edward described the day as “very pleasant and educational,” particularly appreciating the thorough and clear explanations supported by real-life examples. He said his questions were taken seriously and answered kindly, which made him feel that his presence and interest were genuinely welcome. He highlighted that he gained a much clearer picture of what a manager’s job really involves, how important it is in the broader system, and how crucial a friendly, calm work environment, good communication skills, and professionalism are.
In the metrology laboratories, job shadow Annaliis from Viimsi Gymnasium worked alongside measurement technician Vanessa Vaher. The young visitor had a chance to peek into the dark optical lab, observe a lux meter calibration, analyse measurement results themselves, and take part in a testing session where the composition of a ring was determined using the RFS method. Throughout the day, Vanessa also shared her journey from intern to employee and answered the student’s prepared questions about studies and working life.
Vanessa summarised her experience as follows: “I definitely encourage young people to come shadowing—just as my job shadow said at the end of the day, she would never have thought that metrology could interest her so much.” Vanessa added that she herself realised during her internship that Metrosert was where she wanted to work. “I discovered during the internship that this job suits me well, and I am still very happy with that choice.”
In their feedback, the students highlighted the lasting impact of open and friendly communication, thorough explanations, and real-life examples that helped them understand what the work of a manager or specialist actually entails. According to them, Job Shadow Day provided a clearer picture of the skills needed in research and development and offered plenty of food for thought when planning future study and career paths.
Job Shadow Day at Metrosert took place at the end of November as part of the nationwide Job Shadow Week. It offered young people the opportunity to see firsthand what a real working day looks like in an applied research center and metrology laboratories, and how important science-based innovation is for Estonian companies.
What is Job Shadow Day?
Job Shadow Day is a JA Estonia programme for young people aged 14 to 19 from basic, upper secondary, and vocational schools, as well as for non-working youth. Every year, more than 3,000 young people and an equal number of entrepreneurs and specialists take part. JA Estonia has been organising Job Shadow Day since 1998!
Job Shadow Day traditionally takes place in November, and companies are invited to host job shadows during the last two weeks of the month.
