Aspire’s Teacher Externship Program Provides Valuable Industry Insights for Educators
Local teachers gained real-world experience this October through Aspire Johnson County’s Teacher Externship Program, which aims to bridge education and industry by allowing educators to shadow professionals in various fields.
Aspire’s program not only offered teachers Professional Growth Plan (PGP) points and a stipend but also provided them with insights that will help prepare students for an array of career paths.
Through the program, teachers like Stephen Cox and others shadowed professionals to gain insights that they could bring back to their classrooms.
Stephen Cox, who is a business, government, and economics teacher from Edinburgh Schools, spent two days shadowing Aspire’s senior staff.
Cox’s externship included participating in multiple meetings with local governments, meeting with Aspire members and prospective members, which deepened his understanding of the role economic development organizations and chambers of commerce play in the community.
“I have a better grasp on local government as well as what economic development is and does. I am going to be able to incorporate a lot of information into my business, economics, and government courses,” said Cox.
Another teacher specializing in Spanish who was asked to teach a fashion and textiles class shadowed ByTavi, a fair-trade fashion organization in Franklin. Through this experience, she gained valuable insight into the fashion industry, particularly ByTavi’s work with women in Cambodia who design garments sold in Indiana and across the U.S.
“She learned a lot by shadowing the staff at ByTavi and it gave her many good ideas for lesson plans for the rest of the year,” said Jennifer Hollingshead, Aspire’s School to Work Specialist who leads the externship programs.
Employers who hosted teachers also expressed positive experiences in the program.
“Employers said their teachers were exposed to an average of 4-5 jobs while shadowing,” said Hollingshead. “100% of respondents said teachers learned about the hiring process, entry level skills and education requirements. The average rating for overall experience was 5 out of 5 stars, and 100% said the externship program should continue.”
One employer highlighted the value of connecting with educators.
“It was good to connect with someone in the community, and also hear about how high school students are getting prepared for work.”
Another employer noted the program’s potential impact on students’ career paths, particularly in fields like manufacturing.
“There are a lot of great opportunities for students in manufacturing and manual labor fields that don't require a college degree. We hope to shed light on this,” the respondent said.
Teachers, in turn, reported that the externships reshaped their perspectives on various industries.
“I underestimated the Construction Industry,” said one teacher respondent. “There is a job for everyone and a very liveable wage.”
“The Aspire Externship Program is a unique and valuable opportunity for educators… This experience bridges the gap between education and industry, enhancing participants' understanding of real-world careers, which they can bring back to the classroom,” another teacher said in the survey.
With all of surveyed employers supporting the program’s continuation, the initiative is poised to further strengthen the ties between local schools and industries in Johnson County and southern Indianapolis.
Aspire thanks Center Point Energy Foundation, MIBOR (Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors), Johnson County Community Foundation, and Tilson HR for funding its school to work efforts.