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Program Models

Program Models

CDLE’s Teacher Externship Program leverages Colorado’s Work Based Learning Continuum to provide structured experiences ranging from business or industry tours to immersive externships. In sync with the Community Assessment included with the continuum, our program goes beyond individual development, fostering a collaborative environment that engages local businesses, educators, and students. By connecting the dots between education and industry needs, we contribute to the overall prosperity and growth of communities throughout Colorado. 

CDLE offers and supports the following types of externship models:

Industry Tours 

Duration/Timing: 1-5 days; flexible tours or job shadows based on capacity, needs, and interest; summer only or during the school year

Description: Teacher visits one or more businesses within a specific industry for broad exposure and informational interviews, but no direct project work

Benefit: Broad exposure to industry, minimal cost and time commitment, relationship-building and workforce pipeline development

Cost: Variable, depending on scope of opportunity. Estimated range: $0 to $1,500 for teacher stipend

Customized Experiences

Duration/Timing: 1-3 weeks; flexible based on capacity, needs, and interest; summer only or during the school year

Description: Co-creation and design of projects focused on specific problems of practice and direct participation in business functions

Benefit: Opportunities can be customized to fit specific needs/goals, relationship-building and workforce pipeline development

Cost: Variable, depending on scope of opportunity. Estimated range: $1,000 to $5,000 for teacher stipend

Full Immersion 

Duration/Timing: 4-6 weeks during the summer, plus course requirements and classroom implementation time

Description: Full immersion in business function with curricular objectives tied to specific outcomes and expectations

Benefit: Extensive learning, industry-recognized credentialing, graduate university and/or salary credits; relationship-building and workforce pipeline development

Cost: Approximately $5,000 to $10,000 for all program components

Empowering Future Talent: A Skills-First Approach

Colorado’s economy is evolving rapidly. To ensure our students are ready for the high-growth, high-demand jobs of tomorrow, the state is moving toward Skills-First Talent Management. Teacher Externs are at the forefront of this shift, bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world career success.

What is Skills-First Talent Management?
It is an approach to hiring and promotion that focuses on what a person can do, rather than solely relying on proxies like degrees or former job titles. While education remains vital, this model ensures that real-world abilities and potential are the primary factors in talent decisions.

Why It Matters for Today's Students

  • Accessibility: It creates more points of entry for workers to enter the workforce and gain skills on the job.
    Equitable Outcomes: It removes barriers for students who may not immediately pursue a four-year degree, helping the 48% of Colorado 9th graders who do not enroll in a degree-granting program.
  • Career Readiness: It aligns classroom instruction with the Essential Skills that Colorado employers value most.

The Top 15 Essential Skills Employers Want
Based on an analysis of over 500,000 unique Colorado job postings in 2025, these are the human competencies most valued across all industries:

  1. Communication
  2. Management
  3. Customer Service
  4. Operations
  5. Detail Orientation
  6. Leadership
  7. Problem Solving
  8. Ability to Lift
  9. Writing
  10. Sales
  11. English Language
  12. Planning
  13. Interpersonal Communication
  14. Coordination
  15. Professionalism

Bringing The Externship Back to the Classroom

The goal of an externship is for the teacher to observe these skills in action and incorporate them into their curriculum. Specifically, teachers will: 

1. Identify "Top Jobs"
Focus on occupations with high growth and living wages. In 2025, Colorado identified 163 Top Jobs, ranging from Registered Nurses and Software Developers (Tier 1) to Electricians and Market Research Analysts (Tier 2).

2. Map Competencies to Curriculum
During the externship, note how employees use the essential skills listed above. When you return, design projects where students solve industry-specific problems using these same competencies.

3. Highlight Diverse Pathways
Show students that while 77% of Top Jobs typically require a postsecondary credential, there are many ways to get there—including apprenticeships, certificates, and work-based learning.

Learn more by reviewing the Colorado Talent Pipeline Report

Additional Programs

In addition to offering its own, state-level Teacher Externship Program, CDLE also supports other, independently operated programs in Colorado by providing connections to business partners and sharing resources.

Other Colorado programs include:

If you would like to see your program featured in this list, please contact Kelly Reeser at kelly.reeser@state.co.us.