CV News Feed // One Catholic diocese is addressing the teaching shortage head-on by hosting an annual exposition showcasing various careers in Catholic education.
The Diocese of Baton Rouge shared on their website how they are assisting teachers by hosting the Educator Career Expo. This year, the diocese hosted the inaugural expo at St. Michael the Archangel High School.
According to the diocese, the event attracted approximately 20 attendees and achieved success. Organizers shared that multiple attendees took an application after the event for a teaching position or requested more information.
The event was a collaborative effort between the Diocese’s Office of Education and St. Michael the Archangel High School. The organizers hoped that the event would help prospective educators learn more about what it is like to teach in a Catholic school.
“The idea for the Catholic Educator Career Expo was born from a need to get creative with our recruitment of teachers—not just at St. Michael High School but at all schools in the Diocese of Baton Rouge,” Julie Lechich, assistant principal at St. Michael Julie Lechich told the Catholic Commentator. “We hoped to develop a means of helping prospective educators become more acquainted with the various pathways to becoming Catholic school teachers.”
The expo included a presentation by Clare Willis, the assistant superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Baton Rouge, and a panel of local Catholic educators. Attendees also had the opportunity to network and meet with schools that are hiring.
“We gave them a general overview of the benefits and joys of teaching in a Catholic school,” said Willis. “We exposed people to careers in Catholic education who may not have seen themselves as teachers. Some don’t necessarily go into that profession to start with, so we talk with many people in different industries who may be looking for a career shift that’s better aligned with their values.”
Over the course of the day, attendees were able to hear about the graces that come through teaching at a Catholic school. Willis shared that they were able to hear from a variety of teachers who have come from different backgrounds.
“All of them were teachers who didn’t necessarily enter Catholic education first. It was not their first career, essentially, or their initial plan,” said Willis. “They shared their reasons why they found themselves in Catholic education and why it’s been such a great experience for them.”
