News

Surry-Yadkin Works and the Surry County Economic Development Partnership continued their Educator Exchange program this summer, welcoming the Yadkin County Economic Development Partnership to the initiative alongside 56 educators from Surry and Yadkin counties for hands-on experiences designed to connect the classroom with local career opportunities in healthcare and manufacturing.

The Educator Exchange provides educators with the opportunity to step outside the classroom and experience local industries firsthand. Through visits with healthcare professionals, manufacturers, and employers, participants learn about career pathways, workplace environments, and the skills students need to succeed in high-demand careers. The program also gives educators resources and real-world experiences they can bring back to their classrooms to help students better understand career opportunities available close to home.

The 2026 summer event included 25 educators who participated in the healthcare-focused exchange and 31 educators who participated in manufacturing-focused exchanges. Participants represented Elkin City Schools, Surry County Schools, Mount Airy City Schools, Yadkin County Schools, and Surry Community College, with educators ranging from elementary and middle school teachers to high school educators, counselors, career development staff, exceptional children's educators, and college faculty.

During the healthcare exchange, educators visited healthcare and related organizations throughout the region, including Home Instead Senior Care, Hugh Chatham Health, Gates Pharmacy, Northern Regional Hospital, RidgeCrest Retirement Community, Mount Airy Rescue Squad, Woltz Hospice Home, Children’s Center of Northwest NC, and Yadkin County Emergency Operations Center. These experiences allowed educators to see the variety of career opportunities available within healthcare and better understand the education and skills required for those careers.

“The Educator Exchange continues to be an important connection between our educators, our businesses, and our students,” said Crystal Folger-Hawks, Executive Director of Surry-Yadkin Works. “When educators have the opportunity to experience local careers firsthand, they can take those experiences back to their classrooms and help students see what is possible right here in our communities. These connections help our students better understand the education, skills, and opportunities available to them after high school.”

The manufacturing exchanges provided educators with firsthand exposure to a wide range of manufacturing environments and skilled career pathways. The Yadkin County exchange included visits to Cross Technology, Austin Electrical Enclosures, Unifi Inc., and HKS Hardware & Hollow Metal, Inc. Educators learned about manufacturing processes, workforce needs, textile manufacturing, metal fabrication, electrical enclosure production, and skilled trades roles.

“We were eager for the opportunity to join the Educator Exchange this summer and look forward to continuing to grow this partnership,” said Garrett Dinkins, Yadkin County Economic Development Director. “Our local teachers and school staff play an important role in shaping our future workforce. Providing educators with the opportunity to experience our industries firsthand gives them valuable insight into the career pathways, skill sets, and opportunities available right here in our area. We are excited to work alongside Surry-Yadkin Works and Surry County EDP to build on the success of the Educator Exchange, expand the program within Yadkin County, and continue creating meaningful connections between education and industry.”

 

 

The Mount Airy manufacturing exchange included visits to Nester Hosiery, Insteel Wire Products, Eagle Carports, and Altec Inc. Educators explored advanced textile manufacturing, automation, wire reinforcement production, metal building fabrication, engineering, fabrication processes, and other technical career opportunities. The exchange also provided opportunities for educators to connect what they observed in industry to the skills and education students need for future careers.

The healthcare exchanges took place on June 10 in Mount Airy and July 9 in Elkin, Dobson, and Yadkinville. The manufacturing exchanges took place on June 19 in Mount Airy and July 20 in Yadkin County.

The program builds on the success of the Surry-Yadkin Works Educator Exchange's inaugural summer cohort in 2025, when 41 educators participated. The Educator Exchange was created to help educators learn more about healthcare careers, hear directly from healthcare employers, and receive resources they could incorporate into their curriculum. In addition to hands-on experience, participating educators received a $200 stipend and 1.0 Continuing Education Unit (CEU).

“We are excited to continue investing in our educators and giving them opportunities to connect directly with local industry,” said Blake Moyer, President of the Surry County Economic Development Partnership. “Educators have an incredible influence on the career awareness of our students. By giving teachers and school staff the opportunity to experience these careers firsthand, we are helping them bring that knowledge back to students and connect classroom learning to real-world opportunities.”

The Educator Exchange is a collaboration between Surry-Yadkin Works and the Surry County Economic Development Partnership, joined this year by the Yadkin County Economic Development Partnership. The program is part of the organizations' efforts to strengthen connections between education and local employers and increase awareness of career opportunities available throughout the region.

Surry-Yadkin Works and the Surry County Economic Development Partnership look forward to continuing the Educator Exchange and creating additional opportunities for educators to connect with local employers and career pathways.

To learn more about the Educator Exchange and Surry-Yadkin Works, visit www.SurryYadkinWorks.org.