Two out of three teaching positions are vacant – Amalie is scared and applies anyway – NRK Nordland

There are daily reports in the media about the shortage of teachers and nurses.

But there will be more elderly people to care for and we will need more nurses, and in fact we will need fewer teachers.

The reason? It is born Fewer children.

Speak from Statistics Norway (SSB) shows that the turning point will already occur in 2025.

Until 2040, Statistics Norway indicates a surplus of teachers. They calculate the deficit up to 2025 only for primary school teachers.

Statement should be read with caution, write SSB. There is uncertainty about how the population will evolve, as well as how many teachers are trained each year.

– Terrifying

Amalie Pauline Steindal Johansen is in her first year of teacher training at Bodo.

In five years she will be standing in front of a classroom teaching young people.

She is a little worried when she hears about Statistics Norway’s predictions.

– You hear that there are very few students and few places. So it’s very scary. I have to see it before I believe it, she says.

Statistics Norway’s estimate says nothing about how teachers are distributed in the country. Because while more central areas enjoy a surplus of teachers, smaller municipalities may struggle with a shortage of applicants.

Amalie Palin has already prepared her plan: she wants to work in the district after finishing her education.

– I plan to go to Finland and settle down and work there. I have never been there before and want to try something new.

In the long term, he would like to return to Westerlen and work as a teacher there.

– I doubt there will be work to go. I know there was a huge shortage of people there.

On the other hand, he believes that students who want to work in big cities like Oslo or Trondheim can feel more confident about jobs if Statistics Norway’s predictions are successful.

– I think there may be a large race in large cities, but not in small squares.

– Educating less people is absolutely wrong

Trond Are Fjordtun is the head of the education association in Bodo and is a teacher at one of the secondary schools in the municipality.

He puts little faith in Statistics Norway’s predictions.

– You are looking into the crystal ball and you have predicted errors in the past. There are many factors that are difficult to predict. Trends in immigration and births may reverse towards 2040.

Therefore, he believes that it is completely wrong to train fewer teachers than are being trained today.

– This is 17 years in the future. We really need to train more teachers.

Like Amalie Palin, Fjordun believes the district will continue to struggle to secure teachers in the future.

– But if there is a surplus of teachers, even more will be willing to work “on the periphery”. I worked by myself in the first years after further education in a small school in Kerringo, north of Bodo.

In the project, Statistics Norway calculates the deficit until 2025 for primary school teachers only.

After that, number crunchers predict that this group will also be surplus.

Every third teaching post is vacant

Along with Johansson in teacher training, the ranks are thin.

This year, Bodo has three out of four faculty posts vacant at the university he attends.

At Nord University, two out of three faculty posts are vacant.

The entire country is now experiencing an exodus from education, and it is still there on a national basis Third place will be available.

At the same time, much attention has been paid to the poor conditions faced by teachers during the strike.

The question now is whether people talking down their own careers has a negative effect on recruitment. This was recently the subject of discussion in the series Listening in Bodø.

Hanne Gravrock is the project manager Teacher in North. He believes that everyone has a responsibility to improve their reputation.

– For my role working with recruitment for education, it’s important that everyone contributes to this somewhat critical phase we’re in. Here, everyone should contribute positively to talk about what is the most important profession we have.

To work in the district

Even in districts like Rødøy, it is difficult to get hold of qualified teachers, says Svend Leif Einvik, the municipality’s head of education.

– Now we see the application stacks are significantly thinner. Less educated candidates apply for our vacancies.

Further south in Helgeland is the border municipality of Hatfjeld.

There are enough teachers here that the municipality thinks it is not good to have students from class 5 to 7. According to a village school in Susendalan.

There is only one permanent addition. Alternate the rest.

– Acting Municipal Manager for Education and Culture Lisbeth Grudnes says business is hard to get going.

And the municipality took action — without particular success.

Before Christmas, they advertised two full-time teaching positions in the municipality.

– We also made an offer for two pieces, but they refused. They got jobs elsewhere. “We’re not the only municipality looking for teachers,” he says.

The same thing happened when the posts were advertised again in January. Jobs were offered to current applicants.

Grudnes believes the teaching profession has gotten a bad reputation over time.

– You hear about teachers who value their careers. They are also with us.

They will ask for records

On Monday, the Minister of Research and Higher Education, Ola Borten Moe (Sp), convened the first of a total of six input meetings around Norway.

Its purpose is to map out the most pressing challenges Professional education To discuss plans for future meetings and solutions. The first meeting will deal precisely with teacher education in Norway.

State Secretary Cindre Lyso (AP) tells NRK that he is happy that Amalie has started teacher training.

– Despite its demanding experience and challenges, the teacher gets the opportunity to contribute in a wonderful way to the lives of children and young people.

– Do you have concrete ideas on how to improve the recruitment and conditions of teachers in Norway?

– We and others are working to make the teaching profession even better and strengthen recruitment. We are now working on faith reform in the school. Together with the department, we must go beyond the tasks of teachers and leaders, and provide more professional opportunities for teachers.

– We have grants for education and recruitment so that people with relevant work experience can become teachers, and we will facilitate flexible and accessible education opportunities across the country.

He says NOK 1.6 billion has been approved for the further education of school teachers and leaders in 2023, and mentions plans to waive student loans, for example if you work in northern Norway.

During January-March 2023, the Ministry will conduct six input meetings across the country. Universities, colleges, students, organizations and working life will participate here.

A forthcoming parliamentary report on professional courses in higher education is scheduled to be tabled in spring 2024.