Idaho Educator Externship Program:
Application Resources for Hosts
Resources and application guidelines for STEM AC industry hosts & host Candidates.
Application Process overview
Define Project
Est time: 1-2 weeks
Worksheet & guidelines below
Submit Application
Est time: 1 hr
Deadline: March 8th (Closed)
Respond to STEM AC feedback
Est time: 1-5 days
We may provide feedback to make your application stronger
STEM AC accepts or declines application
By: March
Not all applications are accepted.
Acceptance criteria
- Your organization offers real opportunities for educators to learn about STEM careers & industry application
- Your project demontrates your commitment to providing meaningful STEM work for an extern
- Your application shows your thoughtfulness about extern onboarding and support
Project definition & project attributes
An extern is more than free labor!
We ask hosts to create meaningful STEM work experiences for their externs.
There are no “perfect projects”, but the strongest host candidates will incorporate the insights below into defining a body of work that is valuable to an extern AND meets their own business needs.
PRO TIP: Think outside the “teaching” box!
Many educators are NOT looking to keep teaching during the summer! Their goal is to get hands on experience in STEM careers, learn about real-world applications of STEM, and do something different from a run-of-the-mill summer job.
While you may want to leverage your extern’s educator expertise, be sure you are thinking creatively about all the ways your organization has to teach about STEM careers and meet people working in STEM careers.
What a great project looks like
Meaningful learning: Educators learn something new about how STEM shows up in the workplace.
Network growth: Introduces educators to a number of people working in STEM careers.
Professional work: Hosts define work appropriate to an experienced adult.
Clear expectations & onboarding: Host provides clarity about what’s expected in the role; onboards externs rapidly and efficiently.
What externs see as valuable learning
Exposure to a specific STEM field (ecology, chip design).
Seeing how what they teach applies to STEM (math in welding, robotics in agriculture).
Learning a new STEM skill (how to do data analytics).
Learning how a STEM organization works day-to-day through shadowing and 1:1s.
Learning what employers want in future STEM employees – soft and hard skills.
How externs bring it back to students
Providing examples of real-world STEM careers when teaching STEM.
Bringing hosts as visitors to the classroom, or taking kids on field trips to the host.
Teaching the qualities of employers look for in STEM workers, beyond the academic skills.
Connecting kids to internship opportunities.
Introducing new STEM activities or clubs.
*Downloads an Excel Worksheet.
This worksheet will help you define a strong work engagement for an extern candidate.
Plan to take 1-2 weeks to define, and include colleagues who will be involved in the extern’s work.
Submit you project proposal with your application.
Past project examples are included!