Projects are outlined by the companies with which we partner and are only finalized and publicized beginning February and March. The projects are based on the day-to-day work of Project Mentors, who want to share industry knowledge with teachers. Since the types of projects available range greatly from year to year and are based on the needs of Hosts and Project Mentors, applicants must have a flexible range of projects they would be happy to complete.
Here are answers to the most common questions regarding what opportunities will be available predicted based on trends from previous years:
1. Projects by teacher's grade levels taught:
- 25% - Elementary School through College
- 25% - Middle School through College only
- 40% - Middle School through High School only
- 10% - Middle School OR High School specifically
2. Projects by subject:
- 30% - Science (Biology, Chemistry, Environmental, and Physics)
- 20% - Engineering and Robotics
- 30% - Curriculum Development or Instructional Design
- 20% - Other: Quality Assurance, IT, Software Development, Marketing etc.
3. Project by location:
- 50% - Palo Alto or Mountain View
- 30% - Sunnyvale or Santa Clara
- 10% - San Mateo County
- 10% - San Jose, San Francisco, Martinez, or another Bay Area location
4. The above information does not mention specifics about the types of research and does not mention the subject I teach or a skill I want to learn - should I apply?
Projects are introductions into the usual course of business of local industries. Each project is a piece of whatever a University or Company is already working on. Teachers and educators must maintain relative flexibility with the types of research and tasks that they will learn.
5. If I am selected for a project that is not exactly reflective of what I teach my students, how will it translate into the required curriculum portion of the program?
Since the goal of the program is to transfer industry understanding and critical skills to the classroom, each teacher designs their own curriculum with the help of a trained coach. Each educator will create a curriculum that translates their project experience into a curriculum that suits their students, whether they teach science or art and college or elementary special education.