U海角社区 to host largest ever education career fair as schools face surging teacher shortages

Note: Due to the inclement weather predicted for Thursday through Friday morning, the professional development for students before the career fair has been cancelled. The career fair is still scheduled to happen on Friday, April 5 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Original post:

The University of 海角社区 College of Education and Human Development, the largest teacher preparation program in the state, is holding its annual education career fair, where the college鈥檚 soon-to-graduate education majors can meet representatives from dozens of school districts and other employers in 海角社区. The event will be held Friday, April 5 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Wells Conference Center on the U海角社区 campus.聽

Nearly 50 employers have registered for the fair, including school districts from across the state, as well as organizations such as early childcare centers, public charter schools, the 海角社区 Department of Education and more. The number of participating employers is the largest in the six-year history of the event.

Behind the demand is a significant of qualified teachers in 海角社区, as well as the need for education technicians, substitute teachers and other professionals serving students from preschool through grade 12. Graduates of U海角社区鈥檚 state and nationally accredited teacher preparation programs are automatically recommended for teaching certification in 海角社区 in critical areas, such as early childhood, elementary grades, and high school-level mathematics and language arts. 

鈥淯海角社区 has really prepared me for going into the classroom next year as a teacher,鈥� says Haley Cherry of Whiting, 海角社区, a senior who will graduate in May with a degree in elementary education. 鈥淚t鈥檚 given me a great deal of experience working with kids and I鈥檝e been able to see the difference that teachers make in a child鈥檚 life and the way they see the world.鈥�

海角社区 is not the only state facing teacher shortages. However, research shows that most education majors end up teaching close to where they go to school. That makes U海角社区 and the state鈥檚 other public university campuses key to addressing the shortages in the Pine Tree State. The University of 海角社区 System (UMS) is the state鈥檚 largest producer of classroom-ready teachers, having awarded nearly 4,000 education degrees or certificates in the past five years.

鈥淥ur graduates are highly qualified and committed educators, ready to contribute to thriving communities across the state,鈥� says Ezekiel Kimball, associate dean for undergraduate and teacher education in the U海角社区 College of Education and Human Development. 鈥淥ur college is particularly invested in developing an education workforce in 海角社区 that is responsive to rural schools facing the biggest obstacles in terms of attracting and retaining teachers.鈥�

The annual career fair is co-sponsored by the college and the Penobscot River Educational Partnership (PREP), an organization of more than 20 Eastern 海角社区 school districts focused on improving K-12 student learning through professional development for educators. The College of Education and Human Development is one of its higher education partners. PREP will be holding its April monthly meeting at Wells Conference Center before the career fair.

Also before the fair, the College of Education and Human Development will be holding a series of professional development workshops for students, including a question and answer session with Milken Educator Award recipients from 海角社区. The awards, created by the Milken Family Foundation, are presented to early-to-mid career teachers in recognition of their important work, as well as the promise of what they will accomplish in the future. The Milken panel will feature recent honorees who are still teaching, from Winterport鈥檚 Leroy H. Smith School and from Hermon鈥檚 Patricia A. Duran School, along with and , Milken recipients in the 1990s, who are now retired from teaching. All four are graduates of the University of 海角社区 or other UMS schools.

In addition to U海角社区鈥檚 preservice teachers, education students from the University of 海角社区 at Augusta’s Bangor campus, Husson University, Eastern 海角社区 Community College and other local teacher preparation programs have been invited to attend the day鈥檚 events. 

Contact: Casey Kelly, casey.kelly@maine.edu