However, after a second internship, teachers often implement school-wide action plans. Companies often participate due to a desire to improve the quality of education within their local schools or to strengthen local partnerships. Teachers are recruited through a mass mailing to schools, local agencies, and math and science-oriented associations. After teachers apply for internships, employers are able to select which teachers they feel are most appropriately suited to their program, similar to a hiring process. Currently, more than 60 percent of the teachers in the school district have participated.
Teachers spend one day in a local company, often working to complete a specific project.
At the end of the day, businesspeople and teachers spend time debriefing and discussing what was learned through the internship. School administrators then help ensure that the teachers learning experiences are incorporated into the program. Teachers participate in internships in a number of career clusters, but primarily in the manufacturing industry, which comprises 70 percent of the area s businesses. The program originated when manufacturing companies approached the education sector, wanting to inform teachers, students and parents about what skills are needed to be successful in the workplace. Businesses, therefore, have been a major contributor to the program s funding.