Teacher's college apps down
WINDSOR (CUP) - Ontario
schools are battling a downward
trend to fill vacant seats at its
teacher's colleges.
The Ontario Universities' Application Centre reports that nearly half (49 per cent) of people applied to teacher's college in January 2013 (8,199) compared to 2007 (16,042). There were 15 per cent fewer applications in the last year alone.
This month, the University of Windsor received 1,359 applications to its education program, but 1,815 in January 2012. Compared to the year prior, the school experienced drops of approximately 13 per cent in 2012, six per cent in 2011, 21 per cent in 2010 and 35 per cent in 2009.
"There is a downward spiral, said Geri Salinitri, acting dean of UWindsor's Faculty of Education. "There was a growth from 2000 to about 2007 in the number of teachers that were hired. By 2008, it was almost a dead halt. It's been pretty sketchy from 2008 until now."
Salinitri also said there are too many people graduating from teacher's college for the amount of positions available provincially. She said she too struggled to find a full-time teaching job after graduating from the Windsor program in 1978, working part-time for six years before landing something permanent.
Julie Ferguson-Shand has also faced similar challenges. The 2006 graduate of Windsor's education program never found a teaching job in Ontario. She spent years working teaching contracts in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories., in Nelson House, Man. on a reserve and three years in Ross River, Yukon.
She stopped teaching last June, moving to Nova Scotia with her husband to have better access to health care. They now operate a bakeshop in Shelburne, N.S.
"I knew graduating that there were no jobs in Ontario. When you apply in Ontario, you actually have to pay to apply for jobs, which is ridiculous. And Ontario teachers don't make very much money compared to the rest of Canada," said Ferguson-Shand. "When I looked at it, I could make $105,000 as a first-year teacher in the Arctic and it's $38,000 in Ontario. I said, 'Sure, I'll go to the Arctic for the experience.'"
Both Ferguson-Shand and Salinitri agreed that those wanting to teach must be open to moving out of province to find work.
Salinitri said there's a huge market for teachers in northern Canadian provinces such as Nunavut and internationally in England, Sweden, Australia and Asia.
"(Working in northern Canada) you do get the isolation pay and you do get an experience that is unique. If you're competing with a recent grad and you come back (to Ontario) with two or three years experience ... you're much more marketable."
Despite the current employment trend for teachers, Salinitri predicted that there will be a wave or retirements in 2014/15, and a lot of young teachers are starting maternity leaves, leaving opening doors for new hires.
The Ontario Universities' Application Centre reports that nearly half (49 per cent) of people applied to teacher's college in January 2013 (8,199) compared to 2007 (16,042). There were 15 per cent fewer applications in the last year alone.
This month, the University of Windsor received 1,359 applications to its education program, but 1,815 in January 2012. Compared to the year prior, the school experienced drops of approximately 13 per cent in 2012, six per cent in 2011, 21 per cent in 2010 and 35 per cent in 2009.
"There is a downward spiral, said Geri Salinitri, acting dean of UWindsor's Faculty of Education. "There was a growth from 2000 to about 2007 in the number of teachers that were hired. By 2008, it was almost a dead halt. It's been pretty sketchy from 2008 until now."
Salinitri also said there are too many people graduating from teacher's college for the amount of positions available provincially. She said she too struggled to find a full-time teaching job after graduating from the Windsor program in 1978, working part-time for six years before landing something permanent.
Julie Ferguson-Shand has also faced similar challenges. The 2006 graduate of Windsor's education program never found a teaching job in Ontario. She spent years working teaching contracts in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories., in Nelson House, Man. on a reserve and three years in Ross River, Yukon.
She stopped teaching last June, moving to Nova Scotia with her husband to have better access to health care. They now operate a bakeshop in Shelburne, N.S.
"I knew graduating that there were no jobs in Ontario. When you apply in Ontario, you actually have to pay to apply for jobs, which is ridiculous. And Ontario teachers don't make very much money compared to the rest of Canada," said Ferguson-Shand. "When I looked at it, I could make $105,000 as a first-year teacher in the Arctic and it's $38,000 in Ontario. I said, 'Sure, I'll go to the Arctic for the experience.'"
Both Ferguson-Shand and Salinitri agreed that those wanting to teach must be open to moving out of province to find work.
Salinitri said there's a huge market for teachers in northern Canadian provinces such as Nunavut and internationally in England, Sweden, Australia and Asia.
"(Working in northern Canada) you do get the isolation pay and you do get an experience that is unique. If you're competing with a recent grad and you come back (to Ontario) with two or three years experience ... you're much more marketable."
Despite the current employment trend for teachers, Salinitri predicted that there will be a wave or retirements in 2014/15, and a lot of young teachers are starting maternity leaves, leaving opening doors for new hires.
