2022 Educator Externship Program Celebration

Earlier this month, the Round Rock Chamber and Round Rock ISD (RRISD) celebrated the conclusion of the 2022 Educator Externship program on August 4^th  to honor the seventy-two participating educators and fifty-eight businesses partners that participated in this year’s program. The program is a partnership between Round Rock Chamber, RRISD and Workforce Solutions Rural Capital Area (WSRCA) and is designed to bolster the area’s talent development.

Thank you to Dr. Hafedh Azaiez, RRSID Superintendent of Schools and Jordan Robinson, the chamber’s President and CEO, and the numerous business partners that were able to attend the event. We would also like to thank Sheri Bonds, Director of Career & Technical Education and Peggy Mica, Assistant Director of Career & Technical Education with RRISD for their work in implementing the program and for coordinating the celebration.

The goal of the program is to match educators with employers in the teacher’s subject matter and/or a subject matter of interest and includes a three-day onsite job-shadow experience. Educators receive twenty-four hours of professional development and gain current, real-world experience. Educators must share their experience and knowledge gained with students and other educators via lesson plans.

Business partners get the opportunity to engage with RRISD, learn about current educational trends, and contribute to the next generation of workers.

The program began in 2015 with only six educators participating. Due to COVID-19, the program was unable to operate in 2020 and 2021. However, we are extremely excited to continue this program with a strong restart. It is estimated that over 300 externships have occurred since the program’s inception and roughly 42,000 students have benefited since the program’s inception.

Thank you to RRISD and WSRCA for their participation in successfully implementing the program, and thank you to the following business organizations that were able to host externs this year:

• Ascension Seton Williamson
• Austin Community College
• Austin Wildlife Rescue
• Bluebonnet Trails Community Services
• Brookwood in Georgetown
• Bullock Texas State History Museum
• Capitol Area Council of Boy Scouts of America
• Central Texas Refuse
• City of Round Rock Fire Department
• City of Round Rock Police Department
• City of Round Rock Public Library
• City of Round Rock Utilities & Environmental Services
• ClearCorrect Operating, Inc
• Communication By Hand
• Community Impact Newspaper
• Covalent Foundation
• Dale Carnegie Training Austin, Houston, San Antonio
• Dell Technologies
• Down Home Ranch
• EA Games
• East/West Manufacturing Enterprise
• Emerson
• Frontier Bank of Texas
• Galen College of Nursing
• Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• Halff Associates
• Infinitum Electric
• Kalahari Resorts and Conventions
• Laguna Gloria/The Contemporary Austin
• Literacy Council of Williamson County
• Lott Brothers Construction Company
• Microsoft
• Minuteman Press
• Moman Design
• MWM Design Group
• O’Connell Robertson
• Penfold Theatre
• PlainsCapital Bank
• Refugee Services of Texas
• Round Rock Area Serving Center
• Round Rock Ballet Folklorico
• Round Rock Chamber
• Round Rock Express
• Round Rock ISD
• Ruby Hotel & Bar
• Senator Schwertner’s Office
• Shop LC
• St. David’s Lab
• St. Edward’s University
• STARRY
• State Senator Charles Schwertner
• Texas State Technical College
• Texas State University
• Twin Lakes Family YMCA
• Typhoon Texas
• Univision Local Media
• Wells Fargo
• Williamson County Sheriff’s Office