Teaching for the Workforce is a one-and-a-half-day professional learning experience for 6th–12th grade teachers and counselors. Participants will explore today’s workplaces through local business tours, presentations, and discussions focused on regional workforce needs and the essential skills students need for success.
The program also emphasizes how schools can partner with local employers and community organizations to help build a future-ready workforce. Throughout the school year, participants will receive continued support as they identify ways to integrate workforce concepts into their classrooms and develop a plan for the 2026–27 school year.
The course includes dedicated district-specific planning time, allowing teams to connect, collaborate, and strengthen partnerships with local workforce and community partners to enhance student learning.
Implementation Science
Professional learning in implementation science within an educational setting is an ongoing, dynamic process focused on building the knowledge, skills, and capacity needed for successful, sustainable initiatives. Grounded in the National Implementation Research Network (NIRN) implementation science model, this learning begins by strengthening leadership teams’ ability to understand and apply key concepts such as implementation drivers, fidelity, and sustainability.
Leaders and educators participate in targeted professional development to deepen their understanding of effective implementation practices, including the importance of staff competencies, organizational supports, and data systems used to monitor progress and guide decision-making.
Full Day Sample Participant Agenda:
*Full day agenda will be broken into modules to accommodate 2 hour early out
| Day 1 Half Day |
1:00 - 1:20: Welcome and Intention Setting 1:20 - 2:00: Keynote - Former Student or Business Panel 2:00 - 2:10: Debrief Activity - 5 Words 2:10 - 2:30: Break and Travel to Tours 2:30 - 3:30: Tour #1 3:30 - 3:45: Travel back to school |
| Day 2 Full Day |
8:00 - 9:00: Review from yesterday, Current state of the workforce and education; future workforce needs; implications for PK-12 education systems 9:00 - 9:30: Exploration Activity 9:30-10:00: Break and travel 10:00 - 11:00: Tour #2 11:00 - 12:15: Travel and Lunch 12:15 -1:15: Tour #3 1:15 - 1:30: Travel back to school 1:30 - 2:30: Full group activity/debrief - Chalk Talk 2:30 - 3:30: Connections to the classroom and commitment to the work |
| Day 3 Quarter Day |
Options could be: • Connections to the Classroom • Connections to DCAP • Connections to Work-Based Learning • Connections to Industry Recognized Credentials • Connections to School Counseling • Other needs identified by the District |
| Day 4 Quarter Day |
Small or large group working sessions for alignment to classroom |
| Day 5 Quarter Day |
Small or large group working sessions for alignment to classroom |
Connection with Economic Development and/or Workplace Learning Connection
| TIMEFRAME FOR PARTICIPANTS: • Full Day Option - One half day - One full day - Three quarter day support sessions • Early Out Option - Six - 2 hour modules - Three quarter day support sessions |
TIMEFRAME FOR DISTRICT SPECIFIC PLANNING: Three quarter day planning meetings |
For more information, please reach out to: Molly Crock (mcrock@gwaea.org) or Aimee Hospodarsky (ahospodarsky@gwaea.org)