More than 125 teachers from innovative public secondary schools across North Carolina will see the 21st century workplace and leading research facilities in action Monday, June 22, during first-hand visits to 13 Charlotte-area employers that rely on workers with strong skills in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM in shorthand.

Increasingly, teachers and employers must work together to ensure that teaching and learning are both relevant and focused on the competitive job market graduates are entering. As teachers gain more industry-based experiences and better understand the modern workplace, they’re better equipped to bring the world of work into the classroom.

The fourth annual STEM Industry Day, hosted by NC New Schools, provides that exposure through learning experiences developed by participating employers. The day’s activities are a prelude to NC New Schools’ annual three-day Summer Institute, where more than 900 educators from innovative schools across the state share effective practices they’re applying in their schools, districts and regions.

Employers hosting the STEM Industry Day visits span a range of STEM-focused economic themes:

• 100 Gardens (Aquaponics, raising fish and plants together)
• Carolina’s College of Health Sciences (Health career pathways and practices)
• Coca Cola Consolidated (Production and automated warehousing)
• Duke Energy’s McGuire Nuclear Station (Nuclear power production and energy efficiency)
• Great Wolf Lodge (Hydraulic systems)
• Legrand (Engineering and advanced manufacturing)
• Livingston and Haven (Manufacturing automation and hydraulics training)
• NC Research Campus (Nutrition and human health research)
• Plants for Human Health Institute (Research on plants and nutrition)
• Queen City Forward (Entrepreneurship and business)
• S & D Coffee (Quality assurance in coffee production)
• Siemens (Power generation equipment)
• UNC Charlotte Optics labs (Engineering instruction and research)

Participants in last year’s event experienced connections they could take back to their students in the classroom.

“A key takeaway was how students can channel their interests from one subject or career to another, like the student we met whose experience with aquaponics motivated his interest in owning a mechanic shop,” said Early College EAST teacher Erin Bingham after last year’s visit to 100 Gardens. “What they need to see is ‘I am capable of something’ and then they ask ‘So what can I do next?’.”

Educators joining the June 22 STEM Industry Day visits will convene at the Concord Embassy Suites and Convention Center to fan out to companies across the Charlotte region for visits from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The teachers participating in the visits are from schools that are partners with NC New Schools, many of which incorporate STEM-focused learning.

Several of the site hosts are members of Industry Innovation Councils that NC New Schools sponsors. The 75 member companies support numerous industry-school partnerships such as STEM days, externships for teachers and professional development opportunities.

Examples of STEM Industry Day activities include:

• Coca Cola Consolidated: Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated is the nation’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler, operating in 11 states, primarily in the Southeast, with corporate offices located in Charlotte. The company operates some of the most water-efficient plants in the world. Participants will experience all the steps necessary to produce one bottle of Coke. In addition to the guided tour of the facilities, educators will gain a first-hand understanding of engineering and quality control. Educators will also learn about best practices in sustainability.
• Duke Energy’s McGuire Nuclear Station: Participants will explore the site’s energy education center which offers hands-on, interactive exhibits on power production and energy efficiency. Participants will also hear from a panel of nuclear professionals who will provide insights on their careers and backgrounds. The day will include a rare opportunity to tour a nuclear plant so guests can see the equipment and operations up close, and experience first-hand the extensive security and safety measures at a nuclear site. Participants will conclude the visit with a discussion and exercise on how the experience can be applied in the classroom.
• NC Research Campus: This visit will put participants at the heart of biotechnology as it is applied to the improvement of human health, nutrition and agriculture. At the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Training Center, the day will start in a lab on the genetics of taste and an opportunity to learn about NC Research Campus partner Sensory Spectrum, a leader in the field of sensory science. The visit will progress to labs in recombinant DNA and to hear from Rowan-Cabarrus graduates who use their scientific training every day in labs at the NC Research Campus. The visit will wrap up with a discussion of best practices in STEM education.

At all STEM Industry Day sites, participants will interact with a variety of company employees and learn about their career paths and the skills needed to excel in their professions. Educators will finish out the day with reflection and planning time to translate their findings into project-based learning activities and curriculum materials for students.

STEM Industry Day is made possible thanks to the commitment, collaboration and sponsorship of the above organizations.

Educators from the following districts are participating:

• Bertie: Bertie County Early College High School
• Cabarrus-Kannapolis: Cabarrus-Kannapolis Early College High School
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg: Charlotte Engineering Early College, David W. Butler High School, Hawthorne Academy of Health Sciences, Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology, Zebulon B. Vance High School
• Craven: Early College EAST (Eastern Applied Sciences and Technology)
• Duplin: Duplin Early College High School, East Duplin High School, James Kenan High School, North Duplin Jr-Sr High School, Wallace-Rose Hill High School, Halifax Weldon High School
• Hyde: Mattamuskeet Early College High School
• Jackson: Blue Ridge Early College High School
• Lenoir: Lenoir County Early College High School
• McDowell: McDowell Early College
• Nash: Nash-Rocky Mount Early College High School
• Northampton: Northampton County High School
• Pitt: Pitt County Early College High School for Teaching and Learning
• Robeson: Robeson Early College High School
• Rockingham: Rockingham Early College High School
• Union: Union County Early College High School
• Warren: Warren Early College High School
• Wilson: Wilson Early College Academy
• Yancey: Mountain Heritage High School

Please note: Reporters interested in covering one of the workplace learning experiences should contact us in advance so we can ensure space availability.

North Carolina New Schools is a professional services agency focused on developing high-performing schools and school districts by providing innovative approaches to teacher and administrator professional learning. Since 2003, NC New Schools has partnered with districts, higher education, businesses and communities in every region of the state to ensure that all students graduate ready for college, careers and life. For more information, visit ncnewschools.org and follow us on social media @ncnewschools.

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