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MU students seek teaching jobs at Educator Expo
Alex King shakes hands with Jim and Myrtle Holland of Berkeley County Schools following an interview during the Marshall University Educator Expo on Tuesday, March 9, 2010, at the Memorial Student Center.
Purchase this photoHUNTINGTON -- Cuts to education budgets in numerous states led to a drop-off in the number of school districts represented at Marshall University's annual Educator Expo, held Monday and Tuesday at the Memorial Student Center.
But it did provide a broader venue for West Virginia counties to seek out students ready to become teachers.
"We're happy with the turnout of West Virginia schools," said Denise Hogsett, director of Career Services.
Among the counties sending recruiters were Berkeley, Boone, Cabell, Clay, Kanawha, Lincoln, Preston, Wayne and Wood.
Bill Buchanan, human resources director for Kanawha County, said jobs are available throughout the state, especially in math, science and special education. But they remain the most difficult to fill because in fields such as math and science, it is more lucrative to work in the private sector.
"We can hire those certain critical needs," Buchanan said. "We can offer a job on the spot when we know we'll have vacancies."
Other fields, such as elementary education, social studies and the arts, are more difficult for applicants because there aren't as many openings. There are simply too many elementary education graduates, said Buchanan. And other fields are tough because there aren't as many positions to go around.
"There are so many people out there who are qualified (in social studies)," said Brandon Maynard, a December graduate who has been subbing in Wayne County. "It's a dog fight. I'm willing to go anywhere they'll take me."
Art major Ashley Baylor said there are fewer positions in the arts because those are typically the first to get cut. So she said she is willing to take any position that allows her to build her resume.
"I don't want to leave the people I love, but I'm willing to go somewhere for a while," said the Meigs County, Ohio, native.
There also were some out-of-state districts, including the Network of International Christian Schools, based in Mississippi, and a handful from Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, Ohio and North Carolina. Texas and Arizona, fixtures the past couple of years, did not return.
