Hands-On Professional Development: Innovative Program Allows Georgia Teachers to Bring Real-World Work Experiences into the Classroom

Everyone knows the imperative for a highly-skilled workforce, particularly in the fields of math, science and technology -- the foundation for tomorrow's knowledge workers. Georgia alone has generated 3,000 new jobs a week since 1997, and about 3,500 new corporations were formed in the state every month in 2000. Despite this growth, the state's employers have struggled to find qualified workers to fill these positions. We predict significant shortages over the next 10 years for computer programmers, computer engineers and systems analysts. The story is the same all over the country. The No. 1 concern for CEOs in America, according to a recent Accenture Study of CEOs around the world, is lack of a skilled workforce. And, according to the National Science Foundation, U.S. colleges awarded 37 percent fewer degrees in computer science, 24 percent fewer in math, 16 percent fewer in engineering and 2 percent fewer in physical sciences in 1998 compared to 1988. In Georgia, a unique partnership between the private sector, colleges, and middle and high schools is hoping to change these statistics by reaching young people early on, and inspiring them to pursue technology, science and math careers. The ambassadors for this program are none other than schoolteachers, who also benefit by getting hands-on work experience in their fields of study, whether it's biological research, IT management, business analysis or training. Teachers on average reach between 120 and 150 students each year, making them one of the best conduits for reaching students and preparing them for their future work roles. The program is appropriately called GIFT for Georgia Industrial Fellowships for Teachers. Georgia Institute of Technology's Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC) sponsors GIFT, which is among the largest programs of its kind in the country. There are two distinguishing characteristics of the GIFT program. One is that it is much more than a job shadowing program -- teachers are expected to come to the table with skills and to make a contribution. Another difference is the diversity of the private-public sector involvement. Many teacher programs place teachers in a government lab or university; GIFT offers fellowships in a variety of disciplines, including business, industry, public science institutes and research. Program History Established in 1991, GIFT is a collaborative effort designed to enhance mathematics and science experiences of Georgia teachers and their students. The program gives teachers real-world work experiences that they, in turn, can share with their students to stimulate interest in careers in math and science. These careers represent the heart of today's and tomorrow's competitive workforce. During the summer of 2000, 73 teachers took part in the program. A total of 450 teachers throughout Georgia have participated in the program over the past 11 years. Teachers who have completed two internships often return as facilitators, who mentor approximately 15 teachers currently in the program. Companies and organizations serving as GIFT sponsors include: Lucent Technologies, Georgia Power, The Robinson-Humphrey Co., Scientific-Atlanta, SunTrust, Synovus Financial, Home Depot, IBM, UPS and Zoo Atlanta. The university participants include Georgia's colleges, such as Georgia Tech, Emory University and Georgia State University. The Process Sponsoring organizations agree to pay a fellowship fee of $7,000 that covers the teachers' work stipend and administrative costs of the program. Positions can extend from six to eight weeks during the summer months. An online search quickly matches the type of position to the most qualified teachers. The sponsoring organization can then interview the top candidates before making their final selection. At the end of their fellowship, teachers return to the classroom with action plans that incorporate their summer work experience. …