Tennessee Educators Selected to Participate in Manufacturing and Engineering Externship Program

Twenty-two educators across the state of Tennessee were selected to participate in the first cohort of TSIN's Manufacturing and Engineering Externship Program (MEEP). Sponsored by a grant from the Office of Naval Research, MEEP seeks to prepare a future-ready workforce in the manufacturing and engineering sectors by engaging K-12 Tennessee educators in summer externships with local companies in these industries. Each externship experience will last 3-5 days in the month of June.

In addition to exploring the workplace, educators will receive targeted professional development in STEM instructional strategies and project based learning. “Connecting teachers to the opportunities available in STEM fields and the skills necessary for on-the-job success is a crucial step for preparing tomorrow’s workforce,” said Wes Hall, Executive Director of the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network. “Through their externship, teachers will engage in work-based learning experiences and translate those opportunities into hands-on lessons for their students.”

Participants were competitively selected through an application process and TSIN plans to expand the program in 2020.