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Teacher fair matches grads, school districts

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By Shirley Melikian Armbruster

Summer time and the living is ... busy, if you're a Fresno State student searching for a teaching job.

But the Career Services Office made it a little easier for job-seeking graduates at a Summer Teacher Recruitment Fair in July. More than 200 students credentialed by Fresno State met with personnel from 32 school districts from throughout California at the event, and some were offered contracts right on the spot, said Diana Dille, coordinator of the Career Services Education Division.

"We are one of the few universities that does a fair in the summer," said Dille. "The reason we do it is because we have 150 to 200 students who finish their credentials in the summer."

Last year, about 150 students participated in the summer recruitment fair. The number increased this year because with the Summer Semester more students were able to complete their final teaching and be prepared for employment for the fall.

Dille and others in the division spend hundreds of hours preparing for Teacher Recruitment fairs in the spring and summer. In addition to providing information to interested school districts, they help students prepare their resumes and placement files, and develop job search strategies.

Ronele Silva of Sanger, who finished her student teaching this summer, said Dille's help was excellent preparation for the recruitment fair.

"I didn't know what I was doing until I went to Diana's seminars. She helps you every step of the way," said Silva. "She tells you what to think about regarding what the districts want."

Fred Rich, assistant superintendent for human resources with the Oakdale Joint Unified School District, was looking to hire several junior high and high school teachers at the recruitment fair. Oakdale typically comes to Fresno State's spring teacher recruitment fairs, but this was the first summer fair for the district. Rich was glad he attended.

"Competition [in hiring] is pretty keen," he said, especially for vacancies he had in home economics, math and French. "A summer fair is great because right at the end of the school year you lose a few teachers and are looking to replace them,' he said.

Dille said that in addition to newly credentialed students, many alumni come to the fair as they look for new jobs or are returning to teaching after a time away.

Back to University Journal, 8/27/01 Issue