Indiana Uplands is blessed with a diverse array of industries and career opportunities with specialization in advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and national security and defense. To build durable, meaningful connections between school systems and relevant local industry, ROI has partnered with area employers to create the Educator Boot Camp. Boot Camp is designed to increase educator awareness of the types of careers available regionally and to enable schools to improve career awareness among their students.

This week-long job shadow experience exposes teachers, counselors, and school leaders to the wide variety of STEM-focused career opportunities available in the Indiana Uplands. Educators are immersed in local, sector-relevant STEM-related industries to learn about the quality jobs available in the region and the skills needed to obtain positions in each of the highlighted companies. In addition to professional development, participants spend time working alongside industry employees learning about safety, quality assurance, lean manufacturing, rules/regulations, creative problem solving, workforce needs, and educational attainment necessary for employment. 

Any Indiana Uplands educator who plays a role in helping students plan for their education and career goals is encouraged to apply, including K-12 teachers, counselors, administrators, and other building leaders. Educators selected for the Boot Camp must be available for one week in June and attend a mandatory networking reunion held in the following fall semester. A stipend is provided. Educators who have previously participated in Boot Camp are eligible to apply, but priority will be given to new applicants. Applications for Boot Camp usually open in mid-March for the June event.

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