Job outlook strong at Teacher Interview Day

There are few opportunities for soon-to-be graduates to network with potential employers that are more telling about the job market than Teacher Interview Day.

When nearly half of the students attending can walk away with a position to teach the following year, the interview fair at Pittsburg State University is one of the most successful job placement events of the year.

This year’s Teacher Interview Day will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, March 27, in the Weede Physical Education Building. More than 100 school districts from Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and even Alaska will attend, interviewing approximately 150 senior education majors looking for a teaching position. Most students have already signed up for an interview slot with the districts of their choice, but an open session will be held from 11:15-11:45 a.m. for those who didn’t get an appointment.

Rozanne Sparks, assistant director of teacher education at PSU, said districts are looking to fill teaching vacancies in several areas, including special education, math, science, foreign languages, family and consumer sciences, and technology education. While the shortage areas seem vast, some subjects are notoriously hard to fill.

“Finding good math teachers has been a problem since the ’60s,” she said. “But PSU has one of the only two programs for FCS and technology education in the state, so we get a lot of students and districts coming to us.”

Sparks says that school district leaders give great feedback about the event, and often bring contracts in order to hire students on the spot.

“We’ll probably have about 50 percent of students leave with jobs by the time its over. It’s become very competitive to get signed up with schools.”

Organized by the Office of Career Services, Director Mindy Cloninger agreed the event has turned into a true hiring fair.

“It was unheard of three to five years ago for students to walk away with signed contracts, but it’s happening now,” she said. “And where it used to be more students were seeking jobs in the Kansas City areas, we’re seeing more and more who are looking for jobs in the Southeast Kansas area. They have ties here and want to work here.”

Teacher Interview Day is open to alumni, as well. Those wanting to interview must arrive at the Weede Physical Education Building dressed professionally and with copies of their current resume.

For more information, contact PSU Career Services at 620-235-4140.

---Pitt State---