What is an Externship?

Externships are work-based learning and professional development opportunities that allow teachers to spend anywhere from a few days to a few weeks working onsite at a Colorado business to gain exposure to work environments and the types of careers their students may pursue. They are hands-on learning experiences that help teachers enrich their classroom pedagogy by providing direct exposure to current, real-world applications of the academic content they teach. Teachers can use what they learn to incorporate cutting edge information into lessons and teach students skills that meet current industry standards. 

What is This New State-Led Program?

Envisioned in the spirit of innovation, equity, and authentic collaboration, Colorado House Bill 23-1198 is the cornerstone for a new, statewide K-12 Teacher Externship Program focused on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math-focused (STEM) occupations. This visionary initiative, driven by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), establishes a mechanism for teachers to receive professional development and/or graduate-level credit for completing an externship. At its core, this program is a state-led effort to bridge the gap between education and industry that will serve as a catalyst for diverse and inclusive workforce development efforts in high-growth, high-demand STEM fields. 

Purpose of This Form 

This form will gather initial information about your interest in externships, some of the factors that would encourage you to apply or provide the opportunity to your teachers, and any deal-breakers that would keep you from signing up. We will start our first cohort as early as June 2024. Your answers to the questions below will help us in our planning to launch initial teacher externship opportunities and build capacity for future growth of the program. This form should take 5 minutes or less to complete.