Following someone closely to observe what they do, either secretly as a form of spying or openly to learn from them in a job-training context.
From Old English 'sceadwe' meaning 'shade' or 'shadow.' The verb form developed in the 20th century to describe following someone as closely as their shadow.
Job shadowing became a major business practice because seeing how experts actually work teaches you things no textbook can—it's experiential learning at its finest!
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