Google invites children to 'Take Your Classroom to Work Day'
When you are a child quite often your parents' careers are foreign to you. Sure, you may see them get ready for work in the morning and you may even know their title ("Fireman", "Lawyer", "Janitor"), but what they do throughout the course of a work-day is a mystery.
In reality, it is very important for children to know what a work-day entails. After all, children grow-up, and they need to be prepared for the real world. Unfortunately, while some businesses offer things like "Bring Your Child To Work Day", not all do. And so, many children are unable to get the exposure that they need. Well, Google is aiming to change this, using its Hangouts service, for what it calls "Take Your Classroom to Work Day".
"For 21 years, Take Your Child To Work Day has helped kids understand what moms and dads do all day after they leave the house. And even if kids don't realize it at the time, it also serves an important role in helping youngsters learn about what kinds of jobs they could do when they grow up. Unfortunately, not all kids are lucky enough to get these opportunities", says Lisa Jiang, Google+ Education Partnership Lead.
Jiang further says, "'we're giving kids everywhere a chance to 'visit' some of the world’s most exciting workplaces. Working with Forbes, Connected Classrooms is hosting 18 virtual field trips to places like the Georgia Aquarium, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Stanford National Lab and the Chicago Bulls locker room, using Google Hangouts. Professionals from all walks of life will discuss their day-to-day roles and how they got there, so students -- regardless of budget or geography -- can be exposed to a wide range of careers and get excited about their future".
Below are a list of the available interactions:
- with a U.S. Senator
- at NASDAQ
- with the Ramen Burger entrepreneur
- at Forbes
- with a filmmaker
- with sports marketers
- with a YouTube celebrity chef
- at The Met
- in the world of fashion
- at HuffPost Live
- with the Chicago Bulls
- with a TV news anchor
- in Hollywood’s special effects
- at the Georgia Aquarium
- with nurses
- at Second City
- with a scientific investigator
As you can see, an eclectic amount of careers are represented. However, I take umbrage with the fact that less glamorous jobs are not represented. Yes, we want children to aim for the stars, however, learning about being a factory worker, data analyst or a janitor could be beneficial too.
Let's be honest, most children will not grow-up to be a Senator or filmmaker -- and that's OK. Giving more attention to the less-glamorous jobs would show a level of respect to the hard-working people of America that live paycheck to paycheck doing physical labor and dirty jobs. Plus, it would teach a child that all professions are to be respected.
With all of that said, it is a good start, and a beautiful way of marrying technology and education for the benefit of the children. Kudos, Google.
Photo Credit: Patrick Foto/Shutterstock