Teachers in the workplace: Syracuse University GEAR UP sends Syracuse teachers to intern at high-tech companies

Monday, July 17, 2006, By News Staff

Teachers in the workplace: Syracuse University GEAR UP sends Syracuse teachers to intern at high-tech companiesJuly 17, 2006Susan Feightnersfeightn@syr.edu

Several Syracuse City School District teachers and classroom staff will learn how to build a computer from Seneca Data professionals at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 18, as they take part in a professional development program offered by Syracuse University GEAR UP, in partnership with Partners for Education & Business Inc. (PEB).

Seneca Data, located in North Syracuse, is one of seven local high-tech companies participating in the program. Each company will provide classroom teachers the opportunity to learn about the skills necessary for success in today’s technology-driven workplace. The teachers will incorporate the technology and skills observed in their workplace experience into lessons plans in their particular content areas. The lesson plans will be videotaped and distributed to school districts and other GEAR UP partnerships.

The project is funded by a grant from the National Council on Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP) and AT&T through the NY GEAR UP initiative. In addition to Seneca Data, participating local high-tech companies are CDM Engineers, CXtec, Laboratory Alliance of CNY, Solvay Paperboard, United Radio and WSTM-TV.

Each company provides the teachers with an overview of the company’s history, training and employment methods, careers employed within the company, and products/services offered. The teachers visit several departments and attend team meetings within the company, along the way keeping a journal to identify the multiple skills they observe for each career area as well as specific skills needed to perform complex tasks.

During their internship at Seneca Data, the teachers will not only learn how to build a computer but also see product-testing methods for insuring quality standards and view the warehouse operations in order to understand product flow.

“The integration of the classroom and the workplace is of paramount importance to instruction and to students,” says Lena Kochian, director of SU GEAR UP. “They want to see the relevance and to make the connections. This program fits extremely well with the mission of GEAR UP — helping students to get motivated to excel in their academics and to be prepared for college and careers upon graduation.”

The GEAR UP program is a discretionary grant program, through the Division of Student Support & Retention at Syracuse University, designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education.

The mission of Partners for Education & Business Inc. is to assure the quality of education and the economic vitality of Central New York by promoting, developing and coordinating the involvement of schools, post-secondary institutions, businesses, employers, government and the community to enable students to become productive, responsible and contributing members of the community.

For more information, call 448-1012 or visit http://www.pebcny.org.