The purpose of this single descriptive case study was to describe how an externship program in the central United States impacts K-8 teachers' investment in and integration of work-based learning (WBL) practices in the classroom. The need to investigate how best to encourage teachers to buy into WBL is driven by misalignment among teacher pedagogy, industry practices, and current research on teaching and learning. In order to address this misalignment, this study examined how teacher externships or time in the industry helped build educators' understanding of what is needed to succeed in the workplace and their capacity to contextualize learning so that it is relevant, authentic and connected to the workplace. Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle (ELC) was the theoretical framework used to examine when and how teacher externs were engaged in the cycle during their externship. Nine educators who participated in or coordinated externships through an externship program in the central US submitted lesson plans and participated in individual interviews and focus groups of three to five participants. Analysis of findings revealed that teachers processed through each stage of the ELC numerous times during the externship and identified meetings, mentor support, reflective discussion questions, professional learning communities, and industry partners as the strongest supports provided by the ATLAS STEM Externship Program. Additionally, four themes emerged: (1) continuous improvement, (2) real-world connections and curriculum, (3) importance of collaboration, and (4) importance of communication. The results of this study have implications for policy, practice, and academia and provide knowledge needed for the creation of a professional development module that effectively trains educators in creating WBL curricula that is rooted in industry practices and that better prepares students for the workplace of tomorrow. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]