This month we are pleased to feature a guest post written by Kwamé Floyd of the Teacher Apprenticeship Network.
The emergence of teacher apprenticeships over the last two years has highlighted the important work being done to address gaps in our teacher pipeline and provides opportunities for collaboration and innovation in the teacher education space. Following the opportunity to meet with the executive team and members of NJACTE, I would like to share my thoughts and recommendations on how New Jersey can harness Teacher Apprenticeships and workforce initiatives as an innovative strategy to strengthen and diversify the teacher pipeline.
A Call for Innovation
Colleges and universities around the country have felt the impact of students’ dwindling interest in becoming teachers. The data shows that tomorrow’s generation of scholars view the teaching profession much differently than generations before. The K-16 sector, which includes institutions of higher education, is charged with making the profession more attractive, more flexible, and more accessible. Similar to teacher residencies, the teacher apprenticeship model offers an opportunity to support institutions of higher education in their efforts to attract a wider range of candidates, including those who wish to teach but come with a degree outside of education. As more programs offer innovative delivery models such as virtual and hybrid options, there are workforce initiatives, including apprenticeships, that will support innovative institutional shifts to meet the needs of a changing market.
While there is a shift in the overall perception of teaching, there is also significant evidence to demonstrate that our aspiring leaders still want to impact the lives of future generations. Data from the USDE shows growth in the number of teachers being certified through alternative routes, so the issue may not be a lack of interest in the profession, but perhaps the lack of accessible pathways to join the profession and a need for innovative delivery of instruction.
An Opportunity for Partnership: Workforce in Education is Systems Change
It is important that our sector views apprenticeships as an introduction to the workforce, not “another program.” While apprenticeships offer a new and exciting framework for how we recruit and prepare teachers, they are just the tip of a very large iceberg of strategies and resources available to our sector to aid in addressing stubborn hiring gaps. We have a unique opportunity to strengthen the connection between classroom preparation and the lived experiences that candidates bring to the table by allowing for those experiences to be valued similarly to theoretical constructs. It is encouraging to see so many universities within NJACTE who have aligned their programs with school districts’ hiring needs over the years. The Teacher Apprenticeship Network is eager to strengthen partnerships with the workforce sector and provide much-needed support to our institutions of higher education. This collaboration will create innovative pathways and make the teaching profession more attractive than ever before.
It is undeniable that our sector is facing immense challenges with recruiting and retaining quality teachers. For decades, the education sector has been left to innovate and provide resources to attract individuals into the profession. Through apprenticeships, we have an opportunity for our districts, institutions of higher education, and the workforce community to build new partnerships and pathways into the profession that strengthen and diversify our workforce for generations to come!
For more information about teacher apprenticeships in New Jersey, visit our website, iwant2teach.org, or reach out to schedule a conversation info@teacherapprenticeship.org.
Submitted by:
Kwamé Floyd
Teacher Apprenticeship Network