Professional Development
Midlands Education and Business Alliance offers professional development opportunities to educators to keep them abreast of the rapidly changing world of business so that they can more effectively advise and educate students on future careers and the requirement to pursue those careers. Professional development opportunities include activities such as educator field studies, graduate courses, seminars and workshops, and teacher job shadowing.
Please use your district attendance / participation policies for MEBA activities.
Educator Field Studies
Educator Field Studies bring together teachers, counselors, and administrators for a day of in depth learning about a specific cluster. Educators spend a day visiting work sites and hearing firsthand from professionals. During the field studies, professionals discuss the skills students need for tomorrow's careers. Educators gain the knowledge to make their curriculum more relevant, useful and meaningful for students as they learn how content area ties to the world of work.
2008-2009 Educator Field Study Registration Form
Registration for the 2008-2009 Educator Field Studies is ongoing. A registration form can be found by clicking on the above link. Register early. Since space is limited, we ask that you only register if you intend on attending the event. Field studies for the year are Architecture & Construction - October 29, 2008; Healthcare - January 20, 2009; Hospitality & Tourism - February 18, 2009; Manufacturing - March 5, 2009; Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security (Public Services) - November 5, 2008; Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics - October 22, 2008 or March 31, 2009; Transportation, Distribution & Logistics (Automotive Dealerships) - November 12, 2008, and "Uptown" Businesses - December 10, 2008.
Architecture & Construction - October 29, 2008
Educators explore the many aspects of the residential and commercial construction industry, the technology involved, the many changes of the industry and the advanced math and science skills needed to have a career in construction. The field study is hosted by the Architecture & Construction Alliance.
Healthcare - January 20, 2009
Educators visit area health care facilities to learn about the different types of careers in health sciences and the expectations of employers for students entering the profession during this field study hosted by the Health Science Alliance.
Hospitality & Tourism - February 18, 2009
Educators will vist sites such as The University of South Carolina McCutchen House, South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism, Midlands’s hotels, Midlands Authority for Conventions, Sports and Tourism and several other facilities that are part of the hospitality and tourism cluster of study. The field study is hosted by the Hospitality & Tourism Alliance.
Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security - November 5, 2008
(Public Services)
Educators will visit several law, corrections, and military facilities, participate in mock simulations, learn about the careers in law, public safety, corrections, and the security sector, and the about the technology they use. The field study is hosted by the Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security Alliance.
Manufacturing - March 5, 2009
Educators visit area manufacturers to learn about manufacturing careers and see the state-of-the-art facilities and how computers, robots and people all come together to manufacture products during this field study hosted by the Manufacturing Alliance.
Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics -
October 22, 2008 (repeated choose one) March 31, 2009
Educators will visit various Engineering and Emerging Technology companies in the Midlands area.
Transportation, Distribution & Logistics - November 12, 2008
(Automotive Dealerships)
Careers and different aspects of the automotive industry are explored firsthand as educators visit dealerships during this field study that is hosted by the South Carolina Automotive Dealers Association.
Uptown Careers - December 10, 2008
Educators visit downtowns businesses who specialize in law, accounting, marketing, finance, and banking support services to explore the many career opportunities in the professional services industry. The Business, Management and Information Systems Alliance hosts this field study.
Teacher Job Shadowing
Teachers are introduced to the workplace through job shadowing. Teachers are assigned to an employer who mentors them at the business or industry. A sample of business and industries hosting teachers in the past for shadowing experiences include Palmetto Health, Lexington Medical Center, Total Comfort Service Center, Michelin NA, Inc., Sisters of Charity Providence Hospitals, CMC Steel SC, SCE&G, and SCANA.
Teacher Shadowing Registration Form
Graduate Courses
Graduate courses are taught by qualified faculty. Courses are selected based on the results of an annual needs assessment.
Teachers in the Workplace
Teachers in the Workplace is a three-hour summer graduate course sponsored by Midlands Education and Business Alliance. The course requires teachers to take a practical approach to understanding the world of work. Each teacher spends forty hours in a challenging position in business and industry in order to get hands-on experience with the skills needed to be successful in careers in that particular industry. In addition to the internship, teachers participate in sessions with classmates, develop lesson plans and give presentations as part of the successful completion of Teachers in the Workplace. Teachers can draw on the experience to infuse practical knowledge about the world of work and necessary job skills into their classroom presentations.
Career Development Facilitator Training
Designed to train K-16 educators and other professionals who offer career assistance and guidance services in Career Development Facilitation (CDF). This course leads to a better understanding of career development resources and assessments and an awareness of one's professional strengths and needed improvements in the area of career guidance. (6 hours graduate credit )
Workshops and Seminars
Business Matters is a conference for elementary, middle and high school educators to provide them with the opportunity to see firsthand why business matters to educators and to enhance classroom learning. Topics include job keeping and seeking skills, dress for success, customer service, real world math and science concepts and other business principles.
Business Matters Seminar - TBA
This year's Business Matters will include sessions from the MEBA Business Alliances, School-Based Committees, and the Midlands Regional Education Center.
Registration Form
Poverty Training Seminar - TBA
This Seminar will provide tips, strategies, and resources for working with children and parents of poverty.
Registration Form
Teacher Training
Midlands Education and Business Alliance trains teachers how to effectively use the Building Your Career Piece by Piece in the classroom and how to involve business and industry with their daily activities. In the past two years, over 500 teachers have been trained to assist students in resume writing, job skills and dressing for success.
Contextual Teaching and Learning One Day Seminar - Spring 2009
The South Carolina Regional Career Specialists in partnership with the Office of Career and Technology Education are sponsoring one-day Contextual Teaching and Learning seminars (at no charge) across the state. Each of these one-day seminars will be an introduction to the methodologies and strategies designed to enhance the teaching of contextual learning in middle and high school courses. These methods and strategies are not content specific; therefore, the one-day seminar will be open to all content areas.
Agenda and Registration form