Local businesses, economic and workforce development experts, school board members, educators, students came together on January 28, 2018 at the Crestview location of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University for another successful Educate the Educator event.  The Educate the Educators Plus One (Student) (EtE+1) program supported by the Okaloosa EDC, TeCMEN, Okaloosa County School District, community and education partners was implemented in a continuing response to the business community to secure the “skilled workforce”. The purpose of the EtE+1 program is to provide to Okaloosa County educators plus students (middle and high school invited by Principals) local labor market information. Onsite visit tours at local businesses (from all sectors) are conducted to share with the educators and students with their business overviews, hiring (job availability) needed job-seeker skills and business projections/growth.

Students were amazed by cable engineering and production at CMI who serves customers such as the US Air Force and NASA.   At our L3 site visit, engineers briefed students on the Crestview location’s numerous capabilities in servicing and repairing helicopters for customers worldwide. In addition to touring the facilities and hearing from workforce development experts, this year participants enjoyed breakfast by the HSU Educational Foundation and lunch compliments of American Elite Molding.  Teachers openly discussed how they could support existing and new certification programs that lead to jobs in these manufacturing areas and students were exposed to the many job opportunities in today’s STEM driven workforce.