STARKVILLE — Lillie Bryant was one of 48 educators who attended the Mississippi State University, Center for Science, Mathematics and Technology, Industry-Education Partnerships program interning in industries learning workplace skills that are needed in today’s highly technologically oriented and rapidly changing work environment.

Bryant teaches mathematics at Natchez High School.

During the IEP program, Bryant had the opportunity to visit Northrop Grumman Ship Systems in Pascagoula, the Mississippi Lignite Mining Company’s Red Hills Mine in Ackerman, Nissan North America in Canton, the Tennessee Valley Authority in Chattanooga, Tenn., and American Eurocopter, Aurora Flight Sciences and Columbus Air Force Base, all in Columbus.

The goal of IEP and its industry partners is to give educators the opportunity to enhance learning by providing workplace experiences and applications of industry skills to be utilized in the classroom. The program desires to make skills in science, mathematics and technology relevant to the students across the state of Mississippi.

The IEP program funded through 2009 by the National Science Foundation, annually provides an opportunity for educators from across the state to work with industry representatives, learning how to integrate technology, making connections with other Mississippi educators and enhancing curricula with workplace skills needed by students to survive in today’s workforce.