Seventeen Georgetown ISD teachers are expanding their knowledge this summer through an externship program, a collaboration between Rural Capital Area employers, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and the Georgetown Independent School Districts to provide middle and high school educators’ professional development opportunities to enrich the classroom to career connections made for students.

Educators spend time with employers in various industries, to learn through direct experiences about how classroom content and learning strategies are applied in the workplace, to bring relevance to student learning. The teachers gain insights into both the technical and essential skills required in the workplace and integrate these insights into their teaching plans and classroom management to better prepare students for future careers. The five-day externship experience consists of an orientation, three days of teachers on-site with the businesses, and a final presentation day.

“This is the 6th year of the program, and we’re excited to see it grow from 13 participants in GISD in 2021 to 17 in 2022,” said Nellie Reyes, director of contracts with Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA). “This program has been instrumental in connecting our area’s teachers to industry professionals and bringing relevant experience back into the classroom.”

Externships are funded through a grant with WSRCA who provide $700 stipends for teachers who complete the program.

“This program has proven to be extremely beneficial to our teachers at all levels and especially in our CTE programs,” said Bretton Schulz, director of career and technical education (CTE) for the district. “Having access to industry professionals to provide insight into the latest techniques in their industry is essential to helping ensure our program aligns with current market trends and demands.”

The following area businesses are participating in this year’s program:

Brookwood in Georgetown

Bowie County Juvenile Center

Christian Brothers Automotive

The City of Georgetown

Community Impact

Georgetown ISD

Georgetown Police Department

Minuteman Press

Radiation Detection Company

Sheraton Georgetown Hotel & Conference Center

Sport Clips

St. David’s Healthcare

Sugar Mommy’s

The Caring Place

The Wesleyan

Wag Heaven

The Williamson Museum