INSTITUTION AND/OR DISTRICT:
Clark Advanced Learning Center

BEST PRACTICE FOCUS:
Models for Collaboration/Partnerships and Professional Development

CAREER PATHWAYS CONSORTIUM:
Research Coast Career Pathways Consortium

DESCRIPTION:

Instructors participate in full-day externships at content-related businesses and institutions in order to mimic the student internship program, where students gain work experience in their career field.  Faculty members gather information to link classroom lessons and share their experiences to develop cross-curricular, project-based activities.

The externship program has been developed to give teachers the opportunity to observe local businesses in the same manner that the school's career shadowing and intern students do.  During their time at the business, teachers observe the daily activities and answer the questions to help prepare for class activity.

The objectives for the externship:

1. To obtain a realistic perspective of today’s workplace and the skills students will need to succeed.
2. To gather information to aid in classroom instruction.
3. To increase knowledge of changing workplace competencies and attitudes.
4. To examine new teaching strategies reflected in business organizations (i.e. team approach, project management)
5. To link classroom teaching to the “real world” of business using cross-curriculum projects.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Maria Mosley & Joyce Sturgill
Executive Director
2400 SE Salerno
Stuart, FL 34997 
(772) 419-5750
mmosley@ircc.edu