Summer STEM Educator Externship
What if you could gain insights into the skills and knowledge needed for success in Lancaster County’s growing businesses? Imagine showcasing local career opportunities to your students and aligning your lessons to better prepare them for these in-demand fields.
Offering Lancaster County educators hands-on professional learning.
Each year, the Lancaster County STEM Alliance partners with a local company to offer a multi-day immersive learning experience focused on STEM careers in Lancaster County. Educators gain valuable insights into the skills and technologies driving local industries, explore real-world job opportunities, and build connections that help them better prepare students for future STEM roles within the community.
Bridging Education and Industry: Empowering Students for STEM Careers in Lancaster County
Connect education with real-world industry experiences to prepare students for local STEM careers. Gain hands-on insights, explore local companies, and enrich your curriculum with valuable industry knowledge to inspire the next generation of STEM professionals in Lancaster County through:
- Real-World Insights: Gain hands-on experience with the skills and knowledge required for STEM careers in Lancaster County.
- Industry Exposure: Explore local companies and understand their role in the STEM ecosystem.
- Enhanced Curriculum: Integrate new industry insights into your teaching to better prepare students for local STEM opportunities
What is an Externship?
The Summer STEM Educator Externship Opportunity offers Lancaster County educators an exciting work-embedded professional learning experience. Each year, the Lancaster County STEM Alliance partners with a local company to provide a multi-day learning experience about STEM jobs in Lancaster County.
- Hands-on Experience: Educators gain firsthand insights into the skills and knowledge required for local STEM careers, helping them bring real-world applications back to their classrooms.
- Industry Connections: Build valuable relationships with local businesses, creating opportunities for future collaboration and student engagement.
- Curriculum Enhancement: Empower educators to design lessons that better align with the needs of Lancaster County’s growing STEM workforce.
Why Should I Participate in a Summer STEM Educator Externship?
Have your students ever asked, “Why do we need to learn this?” or “When will I use this in real life?” This firsthand experience allows educators to address these important questions by witnessing how curriculum content translates into practical application in today’s workplaces. By gaining insights into the expectations and requirements of major employers in the county, educators can better prepare and equip their students for the dynamic challenges of the workforce.
Summer STEM Educator Externship Hosts
The Summer STEM Educator Externship welcomes participation from K-12 educators (both public and non-public), higher education educators, and out-of-school educational providers serving students in Lancaster County. Prospective participants are required to submit an application. Selection criteria evaluate applicants based on their commitment to attending all days of the externship, integrating STEM education into their teaching practices, and ensuring geographic diversity across the county.
The High Company
Past Externship Host
The High Companies hosted the inaugural LCSA externship, giving educators hands-on experiences in welding, supply chain planning, bridge building, and concrete mixing.
CNH Industrial
Past Externship Host
CNHi externship focused on the product life cycle of agricultural machinery, with educators designing, testing, spray painting, and driving tractors or combine harvesters.
Susquehanna Printing
Past Externship Host
Educators engaged with the printing press, learning about logistics, quality control, and the distribution process in a real-world manufacturing environment.
Advanced Cooling Technologies Inc.
Past Externship Host
ACT’s externship explored thermal management products, from customer problem statements to engineering, manufacturing, and testing. Some solutions are used in space missions.
Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories
Past Externship Host
Eurofins focused on biology and chemistry, showcasing their role in drug development, method creation, and ongoing pharmaceutical quality control.
Lancaster Farming
Past Extern Host
Educators collaborated with staff to create content, gaining firsthand experience in media production, including podcast creation, writing, and content distribution.