Through a partnership that started in response to COVID19, ElevateEdAZ, the Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA), Arizona Business and Education Coalition (ABEC), and the Pima County Superintendent’s Office have connected to provide Virtual Educator Externships.
Educators who participated in the previous Virtual Educator Externships may access their session materials here.
What is an Educator Externship?
Externships are a professional development opportunity where educators engage in industry activities to learn how classroom content and learning are applied in the workplace. During a virtual externship, educators rotate between various industry experiences via Zoom meetings, ending with a collaborative and interactive group activity, creating lessons that apply their newly acquired industry acumen in the classroom.
Previous Externship Participants
Participating businesses represent high demand industries throughout Arizona. Past representation includes:
1st Bank Yuma
3G Construction
Adelante Healthcare
Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits
American Refrigeration
Arion Care Solutions
Arizona Tech Council
Arizona Department of Agriculture
Arizona Department of Homeland Security
Arizona Public Service
Athletico Physical Therapy
AZ Cyber Initiative
Banner Health
Bechtel
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing
Boeing
Carlisle Companies
Chandler Police Department
Charles Schwab
CommonSpirit Health
Concord General Contracting
Dignity Health
Discount Tire
Dircks Moving & Logistics
DP Electric
Eclipse Automation
Freeport-McMoRan
Fullstack Academy
Generation Tech Support
Google
Hensel Phelps
Honeywell Aerospace
HonorHealth
Infineon Technologies
IBM Tuscon
JA Inspire
Kitchell
Lucid Motors
Maricopa County Deptartment of Transportation
Mayo Clinic
Pilkington Construction Co.
Pima County Health Department
PulteGroup
Riteway Heating, Cooling & Plumbing
Salt River Project
Silent-Aire
Simpleview
Sonora Quest Laboratories
Spectrum Health Care
State Farm
SunTech Concrete The Hartford
SSC Underground
TEP
University of Arizona Yuma
University of Phoenix
Vanguard
Wells Fargo
West Pharmaceuticals
Zovio
Educators from across Arizona, including middle school, high school, community college, and university teachers and counselors have participated in the externship. Through focused interviews, panels, trainings, and virtual tours, each business dedicates one to two hours hosting sessions that give educators glimpses into their respective industries. Topics covered include career awareness, technical and employability skills, and professional culture and expectations.
2023 Virtual Educator Externships
The Summer Virtual Educator Externships will be offered on June 13-15 and June 20-22. If you are interested in participating in either session, please view our flyers to learn more!
See the Externships in Action!
Most externship sessions have been recorded so that industry knowledge can be shared broadly and impact as many classrooms across Arizona as possible.
Assessing Value
Employers and educators each have various reasons for participation, but most agree that the experience allows educators to gain advanced industry knowledge and equip them to better prepare their students for life after graduation.
“It was rewarding to be able to provide teachers information that they can take back and use in their classrooms.”
Sandy Carlock, Talent Brand Specialist, State Farm
“Employability skills are as important or even more important than technical knowledge. Technical knowledge can be taught on the job, but soft skills are needed to do the job well.”
Dr. Annette Wright-Smith, Health Sciences Teacher, Phoenix Union High School District
Get Involved Today!
We are seeking businesses interested in engaging with ElevateEdAZ partner schools. Contact us to get involved!
