Connecting Educators to Industry
Open to teachers K-12. Recommended for teachers 6-12.
You may have heard about the “skills gap” in Arkansas. This means the state’s skilled professional workforce is aging, and the next generation of new talent is not sufficient to meet industry demand, especially in skilled manufacturing and technical trades. The Arkansas Chamber of Commerce reported in 2016 that there are an estimated 5.6 million job openings nationwide, with approximately 60,000 of these unfilled positions in Arkansas in highly skilled technical fields.
In response, Economics Arkansas launched a new series of workshops in 2016 to connect educators to industry representatives. Teachers hear from employers about what they can do to make sure their students are adequately prepared for the demands of the workplace.
Upon successful completion of our summer opportunities, participating educators receive:
6 hours of Professional Development credit
Ready to use resources
Lunch
$50 Stipend
Summer 2025 Dates
June 10 | Little Rock
June 19 | Mountain Home
June 20 | Arkansas Farm Bureau (Little Rock)
June 23 | Camden
June 24 | Russellville
June 26 | Conway
July 9 | Pine Bluff
July 10 | Maumelle
Photos from 2024 Workshops
June 5 - Clarksville
June 12 - Harrison
June 20 - Arkansas Farm Bureau
June 25 - Little Rock
June 27 - Saline County
July 10 - Pine Bluff
July 11 - Maumelle
July 16 - Arkadelphia
Connecting Educators to Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurship plays a vital role in communities and towns across our community. The importance of entrepreneurship education is often overlooked. It's not just about making money or starting a business. It's also about creating jobs, contributing to the economy, and innovating.
While every student may not become an entrepreneur, it is vital that they learn to "think like an entrepreneur," being prepared to identify and solve problems and deal with real-world challenges.
In this NEW series, educators will hear from local business leaders about building something from scratch and how to encourage the budding entrepreneurs in their classrooms.
Summer 2025 Dates
June 3 | Conway
June 5 | Fayetteville
June 25 | Searcy
July 7 | Little Rock
July 14 | Hot Springs
July 17 | Fort Smith
Date TBA | Benton
Date TBA | Jonesboro
