Dive Brief:
- Hoping to address a shortage of teachers, The California Center on Teaching Careers has turned to public service announcements. The organization has partnered with TEACH and the Ad Council to create the messages, hoping to entice candidates.
- Approximately 75% of the school districts in the state reported a shortage of qualified teachers for the 2016-17 school year. Math, science, bilingual and special education teachers top the needs list. With enrollment in teacher prep at historic lows, the organization says it hopes to attract talent and help them through the credentialing process.
- Each PSA highlights the story of how a teacher found a path to reach students and help them understand the material being presented. The campaign will continue through the end of the year.
Dive Insight:
The skills gap continues to vex employers in various industries, and employers are increasingly looking for creative solutions to attract talent, with some even starting at high-school level to create a steady applicant stream. For specific careers, like those in STEM, companies are working with school districts to train and mentor students in an effort to sway their career path.
Still others are sending representatives to college campuses, but not just to interview candidates. They’re helping students move into dorms on their first day and creating opportunities to meet. The new “non-recruitment” recruitment methods also include virtual reality tours of state-of-the-art facilities, hackathons and resume workshops.
The challenge for many industries is to rebrand the profession to attract new talent. California's PSAs may be doing just that; the idea that “teachers have better work stories” focuses on the rewards of the career. And at a time when employees say they're seeking meaningful work, that kind of approach may very well prove effective.
