Dennis Chung | WORK & PLAY EDITOR

Faculties of education across the province are turning away applicants as jobs for teachers grow scarce.

“Teacher shortage turns into glut” read the headline of the March 12 Toronto Star. It was front page news.
But it wasn’t news to me.

I earned a Bachelor of Education from York University in 2003 and did not find a teaching job.

Like many who graduated from high school in the late nineties, I chose to go into education after hearing about a shortage of teachers in Ontario.

Years of labour conflict with the Mike Harris government plus the lowering of requirements for earning a full pension provided the incentive for many teachers to retire earlier, creating opportunities for new graduates to find jobs in education.

But the job market dried up as the retirement rate slowed after 2002.

Opportunities decreased even further as the province eliminated the Ontario Academic Credit, reducing the high school curriculum from five years to four. Schools that had enough teachers for five years worth of classes found themselves overstaffed.

At the same time, new teachers were graduating at record rates. In 2005, universities produced 20 per cent more teachers than in 2001, according to a report released by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT).

Even though the prospects seem dire for new teachers, people considering entering the profession should not be deterred from doing so if they feel passionate about it.

Teaching remains a rewarding occupation. According to a separate study from the OCT, 94 per cent of teachers feel that their jobs are meaningful and four out of five would recommend teaching as a career.

Some specializations are still in high demand.

French-language teachers and those with a background in science and technology can still find many opportunities for full-time teaching jobs.

Schools are also facing a shortage of coaches for athletic teams. A background in sports will draw the attention of employers who want to provide more extra-curricular activities for their students.

Job prospects are also cyclical. If a shortage can turn into a glut in a matter of years, the reverse is entirely possible.

With a provincial election coming this fall, the potential of a return to power by the Progressive Conservatives may spur more older teachers to consider hanging up their marking pens. You never know what could happen in a few years. Don’t let a headline stop you from following a career you really want.