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
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
Photos from 2023 Workshops
June 6, 2023 - Arkansas Farm Bureau
June 7, 2023 - Russellville
June 14, 2023 - North Little Rock
June 15, 2023 - Little Rock
June 20, 2023 - Monticello
June 27, 2023 - Pine Bluff