Teacher Externship Program

The Rutherford Works Teacher Externship Program is a partnership with Rutherford County Schools to help middle school teachers gain access to employers in the five high demand, high wage industry sectors in Rutherford County, which are Advanced Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management, Health Care, Information Technology and Construction. Externships will be placed in STEM related fields with the hope that administrators, teachers, and counselors are able to speak from experience as they advise students on educational and career goals. The externship will focus on middle school teachers who have the most potential to impact a student’s decision about which programs he/she will study in high school. School teams will have the opportunity to apply for 1 of 3 externship placements. Teachers will be paid $20/hour for 80 hours of work.

• At principal’s discretion, a team of 4 - 5 educators will be organized from among the following:

   1. Administrator – principal, vice-principal, instructional facilitator, etc.
   2. Counselor – school counselor, RTI coach, etc.
   3. General education – non-CTE academic instructor
   4. CTE teacher who teaches within a Rutherford County Schools CTE program of study that is aligned with the work of the industry partner
   5. STEM teacher

• Participants should represent a cross-section of academic and CTE disciplines and be considered a “student influencer” by peers and students alike.

• In support of the Tennessee Department of Education’s Strategic Imperative All means All, the externship program will give priority to middle school teachers and counselors who serve in schools with a high Title I population (Smyrna Middle & LaVergne Middle)

• Externs must have reliable transportation to and from the training and job site.

• Externs must be employees of Rutherford County Schools.

Extern teams will meet with Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce prior to employer placement to discuss logistics, agreements, and answer any questions. This meeting will take place before 5/25/18.

• The externship program will run from July 9 – July 20, 2018.

• Educators must be able to commit to a 2 weeks of work during this timeframe.

• During their scheduled weeks, educator teams will work 30 hours Monday through Thursday (schedule to be decided by teams and employer), and attend a 7.5 hour work-based learning session on Fridays from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

• Prior to work beginning on July 9 or 10, externs are required to attend 7.5 hours of pre-employment training.

• Externs will be paid at a rate of $20.00 per hour for all training, work-based learning classes and time on the job.

• All training and work-based learning classes will be held at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce.

Schedule At-a-Glance:

Ultimately the goal of this teacher externship program is to increase the number of individuals with both soft and technical skills needed to fill the growing number of jobs in the high five sectors (all STEM related) in Rutherford County (and by virtue of the mobility of this region, Middle Tennessee).

Short term goals and expected outcomes are as follows:
1. Teachers will embed industry concepts into curriculum throughout the school year.
2. Counselors and administrators will advise students in a way that is meaningful. They will see the application of skills in careers and will understand different definitions of success.

We will know we have succeeded when:
By spring 2019, there is a 10% increase in enrollment (specifically in underserved populations) in CTE Programs of study identified as the 5 key sectors for high growth, high wage, high demand for Rutherford County: Construction, Healthcare, Information Systems, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management. All students in these pathways will have access to related early post-secondary offerings, industry certifications and work-based learning.

While externship programs primarily target adults (educators and business partners), it is important to note that the program is ultimately intended to benefit students.

Expectations:
1. Externs will explore high wage, high demand career fields and career options while on the job and during work based learning classes.
2. Externs will gain an understanding of the employability skills and competencies essential for success in the workplace, including:
   a. Application of academic and technical knowledge and skills
   b. Career knowledge and navigation skills
   c. 21st Century learning and innovation skills
   d. Personal and social skills
3. Externs will design and implement a lesson plan, narrative, or real-world connection teaching, adding relevance and meaning to students’ learning while promoting jobs in these growing fields.
4. Extern teams will design and implement a school-based industry engagement action plan, which will be used to enhance education/industry collaborations and increase partnerships to the maximum benefit of students in the participating district.

1. Grow brand awareness with externs, their students, and their parents.
2. Increase awareness of industry-specific career opportunities.
3. Inform educators about their expectations of employees in various positions and offer input to the curriculum, thereby contributing to the preparation of their future workforce.
4. Identify and cultivate future talent by acting as a guest speaker, mentor, field trip host, or job shadow host.
5. Training and development opportunity for managers and mentors.