Teacher internships give business education teachers the opportunity to increase their industry skill proficiency levels. Such experiences can help business education teachers focus on developing relevant technical knowledge and skills to better prepare students for technically enhanced work environments and demonstrate competency on technical assessments covering industry recognized standards. Thanks to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV), this professional learning strategy is becoming more common for business education teachers. Perkins IV redefined professional development for business education teachers. Traditionally, the most common forms of professional development reported by principals are conference attendance and workshops. Such activities are discouraged under Perkins IV. No longer could professional development consist of one-day or short-term workshops or conferences. Therefore, identifying effective and productive strategies to meet the new professional development standards became both a challenge and an opportunity resulting from Perkins IV. One option encouraged by language in the legislation is work-based professional development for teachers. Perkins IV resources may be used to provide work-based professional development to "ensure that teachers and personnel stay current with all aspects of an industry." Funds can also be used for internship programs that provide relevant business experience. Perkins IV supports professional development that allows secondary teachers, academic and occupational, to gain insight into what skills and knowledge students will use in the world of work. The legislation supports providing teachers with opportunities to stay current with the needs, expectations, and methods of today's workplace. Funding for professional development for all faculty engaged in teaching occupational students encourages collaboration that will yield more rigorous integrated academic and business education curriculum. Such applied learning helps ensure students develop a higher level of academic and industry knowledge and skills in preparation for entry-level jobs.