JSU Newswire
Jacksonville, Alabama
 

JSU's Education Career Fair Accentuates Quality
of JSU's Education Program


Jamie M. Eubanks
JSU News Bureau


JACKSONVILLE -- February 25, 2002 -- Quality was the word of the day at the annual Education Career Fair at Jacksonville State University. On February 21, education majors, administrators and teaching recruiters from across the country were singing the praises of JSU's education program and Career Placement Services.

"JSU takes a good resource and makes it better," says a representative from Rome City Schools in Georgia. "We have to do very little retraining once these teachers come to us. They're prepared to teach. JSU's graduates are student-oriented and they care about our kids."

These sentiments were echoed by all recruiters attending the Career Fair. Recruiters represented school systems from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and Louisiana. New York, Maryland, Arkansas and Florida also made the trip to find teachers.

"There is an overall shortage of teachers in the nation right now," says a representative for New York's Board of Education. "And our system needs 10,000 teachers for the fall. So, we are one of the systems with the greatest need."

Georgia even brought their checkbook to encourage teachers to choose their schools. They were offering sign-on bonuses. And students could not only leave resumes with the schools they wished to work for, but they could also schedule interviews to be held that day.

Kerry Hudson, who is originally from Georgia, will graduate with her bachelor's degree in education in April. She was very nervous coming into the Career Fair, but she left with a sign-on bonus and a job.

"I signed up for five interviews," she says. "After the first one, I got a job. So I canceled the rest of my interviews."

Missy Brown, who will also graduate with her BS in education, commented on the new setup for the Career Fair: "I'm extremely excited to be able to talk to so many different school systems. We are exposed to so many different school systems. My sister got a job at a previous Career Fair. The experience is great. And the organization of the tables is also helpful. We know exactly where to go."

Recruiters were impressed with the way JSU's Career Placement Office handled the event, as well.

"The physical setup is comfortable and easy," says a recruiter from Florida. "The little touches and the little things the department did to make this work reflect the university's attention to detail and the quality of their graduates. They have very high standards. This sets them apart from other schools."

"We were anxious about holding this event," says Janet White, acting coordinator of Placement Services. "There is a festive anticipation among students and recruiters alike. We were well prepared and students are getting some great jobs as a result."


 


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