For many students still in school, there are little-to-no jobs waiting for them after college. This is a very harsh reality for those who want to be a teacher in Oregon.
Senior Mike McGuire has wanted to be a teacher for as long as he could remember. He had always been told he would be a good teacher and the idea of helping and guiding kids has always been very appealing to him. But now, finding himself in the midst of a strained economy, McGuire is worried there won’t be a job available for him after he graduates.
The teaching profession flourished before the recession was on American. Many were in the process of completing their own education and receiving their teaching certificate. But with drastic budget cuts and more and more teachers being released, the hype is finally wearing off. Students in the same predicament as McGuire are giving up on their dream of leading a classroom full of kids.
McGuire shared that he had three reasons for becoming a teacher. They are June, July and August. The hours are good in correlation to the pay and the summer break makes teaching a highly competitive field.
With a lack of jobs on the market and so many teachers who are qualified but unemployed, why would a student even bother to try and get a job in academics?
McGuire said he wasn’t giving up on teaching because it was his passion. He was destined to help kids, “teaching to start, but I eventually would like to end up as a high school guidance counselor,” McGuire said. “I feel like I’d be able to reach more students that way. I wouldn’t just be limited to those in my classroom.”
As for the teachings around education in Pacific’s program, McGuire only had positive comments, “The professors are warm and inviting. Not intimidating,” McGuire said. He also said that the professors at Pacific do a great job of preparing students to be able to manage their classrooms in the future.
When confronted with the prospect of not having a job out of college, McGuire said he is nervous. But he also said that he would have to do the same thing as everyone else in his field. The same as all others in college right now, as a matter of fact, regardless of their major. That is to put his head down and grind for a job.
McGuire has considered going to Washington to try and teach but things aren’t looking much better across state lines.
In the spring, McGuire will complete his time at Pacific with a four-year undergraduate degree in education. Then he will be put on the battlefield for the first time, fighting and scrapping for whatever job may come his way.
Leave a Reply