Re: Teacher Surplus Fact or Fantasy

I would like to add to Sheilah's brief mention last week
of Claire Hurley's survey. Some people may conclude from the
numbers given that there is a teacher surpius and that anyone
thinking of becoming a teacher should forego his/her plans on
the grounds that there are too few job opportunities.

Other factors should be included:

1. The survey quoted does not establish levels of statistical
significance. We don't know what the numbers given really mean,
that is, if they are really different from other years or other
occupational areas.

2. The survey does not include graduates from other universities
who are in the business of training teachers. Therefore, the
results given may say something about the employability of U.B.C.
trained teachers rather than about a teacher surplus.

3. Out of the 114 unemployed beginning teachers 76 restricted
themselves to seeking jobs on the Lower Mainland and 15 restricted
themselves to other specific locations; i.e., Kelowna, Hope,

etc.

4. We don't know what will be the effects of changes in govern-
ment financing regarding the lowering of teacher-pupil ratio.

5. The predicted increase in the size of the teaching force

in B.C. to 1982 is approximately 2,000. If this prediction made
by the Department of Education forecasters becomes a reality
then the number of new teachers required will depend largely

on the attrition rate, that is, the number of teachers retiring
or leaving the profession each year. We don't know, however,
what the attrition rate has been or will be other than for 1971
and 1972.

6. Graduates from U.B.C. Faculty of Education may have found
in 1972 the same situation as most other people trying to enter
the labor force. They do not automatically find a job in their
specialization. Sometimes it takes a few years.

7. Employment opportunities vary with areas of specialization.
There are reported shortages in Music, Art, Physical Education,
Commerce, Industrial Arts, Home Economics.

8. Central and northen B.C. areas have reported a shortage
of teachers.
Andre Piquette