Middle and high school teachers from around the state will leave their classrooms for two days this week to visit factories in the Lewiston-Auburn area as part of a professional development initiative.
The BUILD Educator Externship Program, taking place this Tuesday and Wednesday, is organized by the Manufacturers Association of Maine in partnership with the Teach Maine Center and the city of Auburn.
The program aims to forge stronger ties between educators and local manufacturers while highlighting the career opportunities available to students across Maine.
BUILD is short for Bringing Understanding of Industry to Learning through Discovery. Teachers from a range of disciplines will visit Auburn Manufacturing, Elmet Technologies, PackGen and M.S. Ambrogio, touring facilities, meeting employees and seeing firsthand how academic skills are put into practice.
“Many educators have never had the opportunity to step inside a manufacturing facility,” said John Lewis, executive director of the Manufacturers Association of Maine. “Every educator who participates has the potential to influence hundreds of students throughout their career.”
Auburn was selected as the pilot location because of its diverse manufacturing base and strong commitment to workforce development, according to the organizers.
“Manufacturing has long been a cornerstone of Auburn’s economy and identity,” said Jay Brenchick, the city’s economic development director. “We are proud to support an initiative that helps educators better understand the role manufacturers play in our communities while creating stronger connections between students, schools and local employers.”
Lesson plans and classroom activities developed through BUILD will be added to a shared resource library for educators across Maine, with organizers hoping the program can serve as a model for future statewide educator externships.
“This program is a positive step for Maine’s manufacturing community,” Derek Fox, president of Elmet Technologies, said in a statement emailed to Mainebiz. “We’re pleased to support initiatives that build a strong workforce and strengthen our industry’s long-term growth.”
