Local Business on the Job Training for Teachers

Career Ready Berks, a county-wide career pathways system, is encouraging workplace experiences not only for students, but also for Berks County educators. With the support of the Berks County Workforce Development Board, the Berks County Business and Education Coalition, and the leadership of the Berks County Intermediate Unit, teachers are being offered two unique opportunities to experience business and industry to learn about the needs of the local workforce and bring that information back to their students.

One-Day Job Shadow: The one-day job shadow is an opportunity for a teacher to spend a day in a local company learning firsthand the demands of the job. The teachers then participate in an online reflection forum, sharing their learning and lesson ideas with other educators around the county. Grant funding helps to provide the teachers with materials or resources necessary to bring the learning to life for their students back in the classroom. Often, valuable connections are developed as the business participants take an opportunity to visit the classrooms of their partner educators, giving the students even more information about careers and the workplace.

Teachers in the Workplace: Inside Berks business (iBb) is a five-day summer program matching teachers with local business partners. During this time, teachers get an insider’s view of all departments and systems within a company. The teachers demonstrate their learning through a multimedia demonstration, shared with colleagues and the business representatives during an end of program presentation. Grant funding is also available to provide these teachers resources and materials to bring their learning back to their classrooms.

So far this year, nearly 100 teachers from Berks County have participated in the programs. Each career readiness initiative is student-focused providing the 70,000 students in Berks County access to career experiences and information.