Arkansas K-12 educators participate in energy professional development day, “Connecting Educators to the Energy Industry”
In partnership with Economics Arkansas and Arkansas STEM Coalition, and funded by a Blue and You grant, the Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation hosted more than 45 Arkansas K-12 educators at Cromwell Architects Engineers and Entegrity Energy Partners for a day of professional development this June to learn about the energy industry in Arkansas. The goal of the event was for participants to leave with practical strategies for integrating career awareness into instruction, strengthening school-to-industry connections, and contribute to the development of robust advanced energy career pipelines. This event was AAEF’s pilot of the Connect Phase for the Advanced Energy Educator Externship Program. The next phases (currently in development) are a paid, two week, summer placement within an energy business, and measurable impact on student learning.
“One of the biggest barriers to building a strong advanced energy workforce is that many students simply don’t know these careers exist. Teachers are often providing the first exposure to careers, yet most educators have had limited opportunities to engage directly with energy industry employers. This event helped bridge that gap by giving educators firsthand exposure to Arkansas’s advanced energy ecosystem, the skills employers are seeking, and the diversity of career pathways available to students. The overwhelmingly positive feedback and strong interest in future externships demonstrate that educators are eager to serve as workforce connectors. By strengthening relationships between educators and employers, we’re building a more informed talent pipeline that can help meet the growing workforce needs of Arkansas’s advanced energy industry.”
The day kicked off with an interactive BINGO game, during which the teachers quizzed each other about Arkansas energy facts, as well as introductions by Economics Arkansas, Arkansas STEM Coalition, and Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation. A morning’s “primer” of all things energy was followed by access to a plethora of educator resources, provided by April Ambrose, AAEF’s Director of Workforce Development. After a brief presentation by Parker Higgs with Entegrity Energy Partners, the group took a field trip across the street to tour Entegrity’s headquarters, the first building in the United States to receive the prestigious LEED Zero Energy certification.
During lunch, Ian Hadden with ENFRA shared about the Clinton Sustainability District in downtown Little Rock and David Wolf with Google discussed the West Memphis Data Center. Both fielded questions from the educators.
After lunch, the educators interacted with an employer panel, consisting of Entegrity, Cromwell Architects Engineers, Google, ICF, and Powers of Arkansas. Conversations centered around the skills employers are looking for when hiring, industry entry points for youth and high school graduates, and best practices for job seekers to stand out during the application process.
The day concluded with the educators splitting into small groups for more in-depth job shadowing and skill discussions with employers representing a wide variety of energy careers: architects, engineers, construction, policy, energy engineers, energy auditors, sustainability professionals, marketing, sales, and more. Last, educators participated in a reflection session to assimilate the knowledge and plan for integration in their classrooms.
The Connecting Educators to the Advanced Energy Industry event received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participating educators in their post-event surveys. Attendees highlighted the opportunity to engage directly with industry professionals, learn about the wide variety of advanced energy careers, hear diverse career journeys through panel discussions, and participate in facility tours that brought industry concepts to life.
Many educators shared that the event expanded their understanding of career pathways available to students and provided valuable insights into the skills employers seek in future employees. Participants also appreciated the networking opportunities, interactive discussions, and practical resources provided throughout the day.
A key outcome was strong interest in continued engagement with the industry. More than 80% of respondents expressed interest in participating in a paid two-week summer externship with an advanced energy employer. Educators also requested additional opportunities for employer classroom visits, industry partnerships, and resources they can use to connect students with real-world career opportunities.
Overall, the event strengthened connections between educators and industry leaders while increasing awareness of Arkansas's growing advanced energy sector and the workforce opportunities available to students.