Lack of upstate NY jobs in education (New York, Rochester: chapel, home)

[iloveupstateny]

Are there any teachers/school professionals out there who are finding a complete lack of jobs in the upstate NY area? I scour the papers and see very very few lately. Friends tell me it is all who you know and what connections you have. What if you don't have any connections? I know several teachers in what are supposed "prime" school districts in the area, who aren't very knowledgeable of any issue in education and do not come across as smart or intelligent at all, so I can't help but wonder how they are getting the jobs? I know people that have been looking for 10-15 years in upstate ny! IS THIS FOR REAL?

[garmin239]

There are certain areas that have many schools that pump out education degrees so you are flooded with teachers. Many of my friends that went to school with me up at SUNY Plattsburgh and many people I knew in the Rochester area were education majors. I'd say the majority of them found jobs within 1 year after graduating. There are 2 or 3 people I know that moved to North Carolina and the DC metro area to teach but they weren't the brightest in the bunch and one went to school outside of NY state.
A few years ago many teachers retired leaving many vacancies. Jobs were plentiful. Now those vacancies are filled but in another few years many more will retire and leave more jobs open. I can't comment on the people you know that have been looking for 10-15 years. I don't know of anybody who had to wait over a year. If you are a decent teacher you should be able to find a job if you look.

[aka_mouse]

Yeah, its not really that there is a lack of jobs in education in Upstate NY, actually thats one job market we do very well in... but there is TONS of competition.

Think of it like going to the San Francisco Bay Area to work in IT or with computers or something. There are tons of jobs, but everyone there is looking to get into it, and competition is fierce.

[smalltownusa]

I work in a school district down the road from Geneseo which is home to one of the best colleges in the nation, SUNY Geneseo...and one of the things they do best is teachers so we are flooded with the best student teachers which are then the first choice for permanent jobs that come up....doesn't leave much room for outsiders unfortunately

[carvers wife]

My sister-in-law is a very fine teacher and ran into the loss of a job because of funding cuts in a particualr area. That was three years and fifty plus interviews ago and the only thing she's lucky enough to get is long-term subbing positions, which may not lead to anything steady. I think a lot of schools in NY are cutting costs by not filling those positions, and, with the competition it definitely comes down to who you know.

[Rachael84]

go to NYC, lots of education jobs there. I'm getting a job here.

thats the best advice I can give you. not much competition here.

[rochacha]

Teachers have it made in New York State, so the problem is TONS AND TONS of competition for the TONS of jobs available. The NYS teachers union is one of the more powerful special interest groups in the state, so they get everything on a silver platter at the expense of the taxpayers.

[icpooreman]

depends on the subject you teach... Math teachers are needed everywhere however my older brother graduated 3 years ago as a history teacher and still hasn't found work in upstate ny. My advice is to look outside NY or in a city starting out... people who were educated in NY generally get paid more starting out as NY state teaching certification I believe is prob the toughest to obtain in the country.

[iloveupstateny]

Although I went to college at one of NY's top colleges, my graduate work in education was out of state...thus, I never even had the student teaching experience in NY that may be vital to getting a job there. I've recently moved to NC for a job and am amazed, no, astonished at how many people from upstate NY are here. I have met a few educators who are just excellent, passionate people pursuing doctorates in education at really good schools (Chapel Hill, etc.) who have attempted to return home to upstate NY & Western PA and haven't even gotten an interview. The jobs keep being offered to the same pool of local candidates. It seems like educators, or at least 'those in power' would rather stick a rusty fork in their eye, than do anything out of the norm or be progressive in this field.

A friend of mine (3 master's degrees, teacher for 15 years, trainer of teachers, etc.) just told me how she was granted an interview recently---she had a family friend, the local dentist in town, call someone they knew from the school board. She wasn't offered the job, however, it went to some guy's wife who had a better connection. Maybe I am learning an important lesson as to being able to return to NY someday...not continually bettering myself on a professional level but.... by choosing my medical professionals......wisely!

[garmin239]

Thats your problem. Getting your graduate degree out of state. A possible employer will take a locally educated person over an out of state degree that they see as inferior to the NY degrees.