Schools are always trying to get their kids interested in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). But that’s hard to do when the students don’t have a solid idea of what having a STEM-related job really means.

“I don’t think there’s a good connection between the classroom and what people actually do in their jobs,” says Beth Bryan, a middle-school enrichment teacher in Edmond, Oklahoma.

So Bryan was happy to be one of five teachers selected in summer 2017 for a pilot program in her state that gives teachers real-life experience in STEM fields. The program, run by Oklahoma’s department of education, aimed to give teachers a more concrete understanding of the applications of science and technology—by getting their hands on some actual concrete.

The five teachers participated in a paid, two-week externship at Terracon, an engineering firm in Oklahoma City. The goal was to help teachers learn more about the practical applications of what they teach, in fields like construction and environmental testing. A typical day might involve touring a concrete-making lab, testing soil samples, or visiting a construction site.

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