AKRON, Ohio — The Akron Public Schools District is looking to hire teachers, with about 60 spots open, as the district moves into the 2022-23 school year, said Angela Carter, the district’s recruitment and retention manager.

It’s not surprising school systems across the country need positions filled, because education was one of the top industries feeling the heat when the Great Resignation began in 2020, global researchers found.

But teaching ticks many of the boxes people who quit jobs across all industries cited as lacking in their former careers, researchers found, such as workplace flexibility, meaningfulness of the work and support for health and wellbeing.

“This is one of the jobs when you leave you feel good,” Carter said. “Sometimes you may have days that are stressful, but it is so rewarding, because you're contributing to the future and you're actually impacting the lives of students.”

Those rewards come along frequently, she said.

“If you are someone that likes to see people grow, and see people smile because they are able to accomplish a goal, then this is definitely the right profession for you,” she said.

On days that aren’t so great, the support of your colleagues is always available, Carter said.

“Teaching is so rewarding in all aspects, and then the family that you acquire from being in Akron Public Schools is just amazing,” Carter said. “It's such a collaborative environment.”

The Akron district also offers competitive pay and great benefits, Carter said. Plus, there’s flexibility in how much teachers work -- educators get summers off, but they can teach more if they prefer.

“We have summer school where you can make extra money, and all kinds of other different programs throughout the year and in the summer where you can earn extra dollars,” Carter said. “And the nice part about it is, it's a choice.”

What might be stopping many people from applying to teach is the lack of a teaching degree, which for years was essential to work as an educator.

But several pathways are now available for people to become teachers, depending on what job needs filled and the candidate’s professional experience, Carter said.

The Akron district is structured in College & Career Academies, so students learn from professionals who have worked in fields in which kids need training. (Jennifer Conn/Spectrum News)

Because the Akron district is structured in College & Career Academies, students in upper grades are taught by professionals who have worked in the fields in which kids want training. Akron students begin exploring available careers as early as elementary school, from healthcare and biomedical science to engineering and entrepreneurship, to decide what pathway to follow in high school.

Right now, the district has about 10 open positions that need filled by educators in various professions, Carter said.

Working through Kent State University’s Career Tech Education program, these professionals can become credentialed to teach in public schools taking as few as nine hours of classes, while they’re earning as teachers, she said. All the openings are listed on the district’s website.

“For jobs like construction instructor, if you have the credentials and the experience as a construction person, or you are part of the fire department because we need a fire-safety instructor, then you would be able to get your teachers’ license through this fast track,” she said.  

For some of the traditional teaching roles, the district welcomes those still in college who could benefit from paid time in the classroom while they finish their degrees, she said. Carter encourages education students to apply.

The same goes for substitute teachers: the district participates in a program called the Alternative Resident Educator License Program.

“If we see that you have what we're looking for, as it relates to living out our Excellence Through Equity vision, and you have the mindset that we're looking for, as it relates to the educators that we invite into our district, we help you in getting that teacher's license,” she said.

The district also has openings in transportation, administration, tutoring, therapy, facilities services and many other areas. To learn more about employment with the Akron Public Schools District, visit the website.