Transition to Teaching 2016 - Ontario College of Teachers Ordre des enseignantes et des enseignants de l'Ontario
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Transition to Teaching 2016
Ontario
College of
Teachers
Ordre des
enseignantes et
des enseignants
de l’OntarioONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
Transition to Teaching 2016
Substantial, but temporary, increase in new teacher licences issued
in 2015 slowed but did not reverse the overall trend of improved
early-career employment outcomes for Ontario teachers.
French as a second language and French first language teachers are
again in high demand. English-language education graduates also
report improved job outcomes although higher than normal unem-
ployment continues for many qualifications.
Annual supply of new Ontario teachers will fall sharply and
teacher retirements will rise gradually over the remainder of this
decade. This should lead to further strengthening of new teacher
employment outcomes in the years ahead.
Frank McIntyre
fmcintyre@oct.ca
oct-oeeo.ca/fb oct-oeeo.ca/yt
oct-oeeo.ca/tw oct-oeeo.ca/pi
oct-oeeo.ca/ig oct-oeeo.ca/li
b TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
Table of Contents
1 1. Executive summary
1 Comprehensive study of Ontario’s newly-licensed teachers
1 Recent history of teacher supply and teacher demand in Ontario
4 New teacher supply declines, rises briefly again in 2015, then drops sharply
in 2016 and to end of decade
5 2016 study highlights
8 Hiring process context
9 2. Employment outcomes
9 Full employment reports improve, even as unemployment edges up slightly
14 Early-career unemployment rates well below 2014 and earlier years
16 Time needed to achieve full employment shrinks again in 2016
17 Many supplement income in other occupations, some as preferred
alternative career path
19 Surpluses are over for French-language program graduates and for
FSL teachers
22 Job outcomes vary widely across language and qualification types
25 Fewer teachers seek jobs in other provinces and internationally
26 Northern and eastern Ontario job outcomes stronger than other regions
29 New-Canadian job outcomes still far behind other newly licensed teachers
32 3. Job seeking and competition
32 Many newly licensed teachers open to relocate and to varied employers
35 First-year teacher job competition vigorous across province
37 4. Teaching experience in the early-career years
37 Varied first-year teaching assignments, daily supply roster typical
37 Generally appropriate first-year assignments
38 Early-career teachers insecure in jobs, positive about teaching
40 5. Initial teacher education, induction and professional development
40 Recent graduates generally positive about teacher education, some key
knowledge and pedagogical skills flagged for enhancement
43 Induction program highly valued
45 New teachers highly engaged in professional development
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 iONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
47 6. Daily supply teaching
47 Majority start careers on daily supply rosters and many continue so for one,
two or more years
48 Many who gain access to supply rosters are satisfied with number of
teaching days assigned
50 Meager professional development support available to supply teachers
53 7. Attachment to profession
53 Rate of non-renewal of College membership continues to rise
56 8. Conclusion
58 9. Methodology
58 Purposes and sponsorship of study
58 Survey design and delivery
59 Sampling and survey administration
59 Response rates and margins of error
61 10. Demographics
61 Ontario Graduates
68 2015 certified Ontario graduate indigenous teacher survey group highlights
69 11. Glossary of terms
71 12. Appendix 1
71 Ratings on foundational professional knowledge and pedagogical skills
ii TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
1. Executive summary
Comprehensive study of Ontario’s teacher employment market at the time of
newly-licensed teachers the survey.
The Transition to Teaching surveys include
samples of all individuals recently licensed For example, at the highest level of analysis
to teach in the province of Ontario. This of Ontario graduates licensed in 2015,
includes those who complete their teacher outcomes are presented on unemployment
education through: and underemployment rates for the full
• Ontario’s university faculties of group of respondents actively seeking
education, teacher employment in the 2015-2016 school
• Ontario-based teacher education year, regardless of whether they reside in
programs specially permitted by Ontario or elsewhere and whether they
the Ontario Ministry of Advanced sought teaching employment in the province,
Education and Skills Development, elsewhere or both. Greater detail is then
and given for graduates of Ontario-based teacher
• teacher education programs in other education programs resident in the province
provinces and other countries. at the time of the survey and actively teaching
or looking for teaching jobs within the
In May 2016, web-based surveys were province.
distributed to large samples of teachers who
the College certified in 2006 and in the years Throughout the report care is taken to
2011 through 2015 and who maintained their identify which population or respondent
licences in good standing at the time of the sub-group the data in charts and analyses
survey. 5,528 teachers responded. Response describe.
rates varied from 16 to 27 per cent of the
samples, with an average 21 per cent return Recent history of teacher supply and
overall. The accuracy rate is 1.9 per cent teacher demand in Ontario
overall and 1.8 to 4.7 per cent for the Ontario school boards experienced a short-
individual survey components, 19 times term, retirement-driven teacher shortage
out of 20. that started in 1998 and lasted for about five
years. By 2005, however, an emerging teacher
This report looks at teachers resident in surplus became apparent as increasingly more
Ontario as well as those living in other teachers were certified each year than there
provinces and internationally. It looks at were teaching jobs available. This surplus
employment and related experiences in grew steadily with peak unemployment and
Ontario publicly funded schools, private underemployment of early-career teachers
schools and other school authorities. It also reached in 2013.
addresses the experiences and plans of those
who say they are not participating in the Surveys in 2014 and 2015 revealed a new
trend with unemployment rates starting to
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 1ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
decline. For French-language teachers, it relatively easily and early in their careers
appeared that the surplus was over and a new across all regions of the province.
shortage era could be emerging.
Over the five year period 1998 through 2002
Teacher retirements are the source of most Ontario had record-high teacher retirements,
job openings in Ontario schools. To a lesser on average about 7,200 annually. Teachers
extent, pre-retirement teacher departures, hired in historic high numbers through the
changes in government policy and school 1960s and 1970s were approaching retirement
board funding, and the rise and fall in age. This retirement wave, embedded in
elementary and secondary enrolment also underlying teacher age demographics, got
affect the number of jobs available for early- compressed into a five-year span because
career teachers. of enhanced early retirement provisions
first made available to Ontario Teachers’
Policy and student demographic changes Pension Plan members in 1998. At that time,
in recent years have tended to balance and comparatively low numbers of new teachers
moderate their collective contributions to joined the profession each year.
the overall number of teaching jobs available
across the province. And former teachers Most French- and English-language school
who return to active service in the province boards, at both elementary and secondary
replace some of the workforce losses each levels, and in every region of the province, had
year from pre-retirement departures. higher than normal numbers of retirement-
Accordingly, the major driver of annual driven teacher vacancies. This wave of
demand for new teachers1 is the number of retirements created many job openings for
teacher retirements. the then annual average of about 9,200 newly
licensed Ontario teachers. This resulted in
Sharply increased teacher retirements2 from a relative balance of teacher demand and
1998 to 2002 generated a surge in Ontario teacher supply across the province.
teaching job openings. School boards,
concerned about the teacher shortage relative From 2003 onwards, retirement numbers
to demand, vigorously recruited former fell as the age bulge in Ontario teacher
teachers back to the profession. Most new demographics passed. At the same time,
teachers secured permanent teaching jobs3 the supply of new teachers increased
substantially – from Ontario faculties of
1 “New teachers” refers to newly certified members of the Ontario College of Teachers, including new Ontario
graduates and teachers educated in other jurisdictions who gain Ontario certification.
2 “Teacher retirements” refers to Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) reports on Ontario teachers who are plan
members and retire or are forecast to retire annually. Some other teachers in independent schools who are not
members of the OTPP also retire each year and are included in future retirement forecasts below.
3 “Permanent teaching job” refers to a regular teaching position, part-time or full-time, on a contract that does not
have a defined ending date.
2 TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
education, from teacher education programs from daily supply assignments to term
with special ministerial consent to operate contracts and permanent jobs, as well as
in Ontario, from US border colleges offering moving from partial to full-time contracts.
programs designed for and marketed to As the underemployed teachers from
Ontarians, from Ontarians who pursued earlier years continued to seek more daily
teacher education in Australia and elsewhere supply teaching days, long-term occasional
abroad, and also with more teachers and permanent teaching contracts, each
migrating to Ontario from other provinces successive cohort of education graduates and
and countries. other newly licensed Ontario teachers faced
an increasingly saturated job market. The
The English-language teacher job market got market became ever more competitive over
increasingly competitive from about 2005 time for a relative scarcity of jobs.
onwards as job openings for new teachers,
especially those with Primary-Junior Annual average retirement numbers dropped
qualifications, were quite limited relative to substantially from 2003 through 2007 and
the steadily growing new teacher supply each even further in years 2008 to 2011. Numbers
year. of newly licensed teachers in Ontario rose
steadily over the same periods. The average
Every year more new teachers were supply and demand difference of just 2,000
unemployed and more took longer to move more new teachers than retirees in 1998
Annual retirements and annual newly licensed teachers
1998 - 2002
2003 - 2007
2008 - 2011
2012 - 2014
2015
2016 - 2019 Forecast
(500) 1,500 3,500 5,500 7,500 9,500 11,500
Average annual new teachers Average annual teacher retirements New minus retirements
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 3ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
through 2002 grew dramatically to 6,500 On average, about 2,150 fewer individuals
through the middle of the past decade and gained Ontario teaching licences in each
reached almost 7,800 annually in 2008 of the years 2012 to 2014 than the annual
through 2011 – almost four times greater than average in 2008 through 2011.
a decade previous.
Teacher retirements, meantime, rose
The teacher surplus and its early career somewhat during those three years – an
teacher employment impact eventually moved average of 450 more retirements than in the
beyond Primary-Junior English-language previous four year period. As a consequence
teachers to encompass secondary teachers, of this decrease in new teacher supply and
including sciences and mathematics, and also slight increase in retirement-driven demand,
French first language and French as a second the annual surplus of new teachers fell from
language teachers. an average of almost 7,800 in the preceding
period to about 5,170 on average in the years
Meanwhile, with heightened awareness of 2012 through 2014.
the more competitive teacher employment
market in Ontario, the number of applicants 2015 was a transition year in Ontario’s
to Ontario’s consecutive teacher education requirements for teacher education as
programs fell sharply. From a peak of about the province moved from a two semester
16,500 applicants in 2007 annual applicant program to four semesters. The enhanced and
numbers fell to under 9,500 by 2013 and 2014. extended teacher education program began
And with the introduction of the enhanced in September 2015 for both consecutive and
requirements for teacher education, annual concurrent program candidates. Graduates
applicant numbers fell again by more than who had completed their programs (or
half to about 4,300 in 2015 and 2016. substantially so for those in multi-year
program formats) and had applied for their
New teacher supply declines, rises Ontario certification by the end of August
briefly again in 2015, then drops 2015 were grand parented under the previous
sharply in 2016 and to end of decade two semester requirements.
Years 2012 through 2014 heralded a change
in direction for Ontario annual new teacher Many education graduates from earlier years
supply after a decade of steady growth. deferred teaching careers and had not applied
Newly licensed Ontario education graduate for an Ontario teaching licence prior to 2015.
numbers declined almost 10 per cent from Large numbers of this deferral group applied
the average of the preceding four years. in 2015 under the pre-enhanced teacher
Annual new teachers from US border-colleges education requirements and very few of the
plummeted more than 60 per cent. And newly 2015 graduates failed to apply for licences that
licensed teachers educated elsewhere in other year. This resulted in a one-time sharp jump
provinces and countries dropped by more in newly licensed Ontario teachers in 2015
than 40 per cent. compared with the previous three years.
4 TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
Newly licensed teachers (Ontario
faculties and other) unemployed and underemployed teachers
from many years of annual surpluses,
New teachers
Years
licensed annually especially among English-language teachers.
2008 to 2011 12,138 (actual)
The sharp drop in the annual number of new
teachers should provide opportunities for
2012 to 2014 9,987 (actual)
many of these still underemployed surplus
2015 12,399 (actual)
teachers from prior years to finally gain full-
2016 3,600 (actual) time employment.
2017 5,390 (forecast)
2018 5,340 (forecast) 2016 study highlights
2019 4,790 (forecast) The positive trend of improved first-year
teacher employment outcomes evident in our
2014 and 2015 surveys took a pause in 2016,
very likely a one-year phenomenon rather
Along with the new program requirements, than a trend reversal.
Ontario faculty of education annual intake
of education candidates fell by more than After many years of increases and resultant
half compared with pre-2015 levels. The higher unemployment rates, lower new
two-year rollout of the new program – with member numbers from 2012 through 2014
a first full graduating class in 2017 – means a decreased somewhat the early-career
transitional low number of Ontario teachers competition for teaching jobs across the
newly licensed in calendar 2016. This reduced province. In 2015, however, there was a large
new teacher supply sharply for 2016-2017 increase in new members associated with
school board recruitment. And newly licensed current and former education graduates
Ontario teachers in subsequent years will ensuring they obtained an Ontario teaching
settle at levels far below recent years. licence prior to expiry of the two-semester
regulations replaced that year. Although some
Teacher retirements throughout the of these new members appear not to have
remainder of this decade are forecast at an immediately joined the teaching job market,
average of about 5,000 annually. Accordingly, enough did so that more first-year teachers
Ontario’s annual new teacher supply and crowded the job market in 2015-16 than had
teacher demand will no longer be in surplus. been the case for the previous couple of years.
Indeed, it appears that there will likely be
fewer new teachers (both from Ontario The consequence of this temporary
faculties and from other sources) than teacher adjustment was somewhat mixed
retirements in the four years 2016 to 2019. employment outcomes. After two years of
This will likely result in a seller’s job market significant decline in unemployment among
not seen since 1998-2002. first-year teachers from Ontario programs
(from 38 per cent in 2013 to 22 per cent in
In focusing on this historic deficit of annual 2015), the rate edged up somewhat to 24 per
new teachers in relation to annual teacher cent in 2016. On the other hand, reported
retirements, it is important to recall, however, underemployment fell for the third year in
that there remains a substantial number of a row. The overall trend thus continued of
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 5ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
more teachers reporting they were as fully About half of first-year Ontario-resident
employed as they wanted in their first-year. members in each division report that they
From a low of 28 per cent of all first-year gained as much employment as they wanted
Ontario graduate new members in 2013, in the 2015-16 school year. Unemployment
more than half (52 per cent) now report full rates are up somewhat among Primary-Junior
employment. and Junior-Intermediate qualified members.
Unemployment is highest among Primary-
These mixed findings for the full cohort Junior qualified teachers.
of new first-year teachers are also evident
when we drill down to the subset who Underemployment declined across all four
were Ontario-resident at the time of the divisions this year.
survey. And large differences continue in the
outcomes for Ontario-resident French- versus Among the province’s English-language
English-language teachers. first-year teachers, Intermediate-Senior
outcomes are much stronger than Primary-
Unemployment among first-year Ontario- Junior and Junior-Intermediate. Those with
resident French-language program graduates Intermediate-Senior math, science and/
stands at 9 per cent and, for those qualified or computer studies qualifications report
to teach French as a Second language, five the best outcomes, with unemployment
per cent. These one in 10 and one in 20 improving further this year to just one in
unemployment rates are far below the one in six for these English-language Ontario
three (34 per cent) reported unemployment teachers compared with more than one in
among English-language first-year teachers. four unemployed among those lacking these
relatively higher demand teaching subjects.
Both French- and English-language first-year
teachers in Ontario experienced increases in Despite the improvements, many Ontario
unemployment this year – likely an impact teacher education graduates still do not reach
of the higher number of new members in full employment quickly. In 2016 we see just
2015. The 2016 rates, however, continue to over half report full employment in the first
be well below unemployment levels back and second years. And one in three take four
in 2012 and 2013. And each group reported years to do so.
lowered underemployment in 2016 such that
the overall positive trend of increasing full Many who gained some teaching employment
employment continued for French-language in the 2015-16 school year were limited to
program graduates, for FSL qualified teachers piecework teaching4 and/or had precarious
and for English language teachers resident in employment contracts.5 Only about
Ontario. one in five secured permanent teaching
contracts by school year end. Some of this
4 Piecework teaching refers to daily supply, multiple schools and/or part-time teaching.
5 Precarious teaching contracts are arrangements that have definite end dates and/or do not specify number of
teaching days from week to week.
6 TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
employment landscape for first-year teachers schools. And the independent school share
is explained by the staged daily supply, LTO of permanent teaching jobs was even
and permanent position entry process for more disproportionate, with these schools
Ontario’s publicly funded school boards. providing almost one in four of the permanent
teaching contracts province-wide.
Many first-year teachers are willing to move
to gain first teaching jobs. Two of the top The majority of first-year teachers work –
three priorities identified with respect to job mostly part-time – in occupations that do not
searching are to secure a permanent contract require Ontario teacher certification. They
as soon as possible and to work anywhere say they do so because of financial necessity
a teaching job can be found. As the local and either in place of or to supplement
employment market has improved somewhat insufficient teaching income. Many pursue
over the past several years, however, fewer work with children and youth, tutoring,
newly licensed Ontario graduates look beyond after school programming or other jobs
the province for teaching jobs. related to education. About one in eight
say they are pursuing this other work as a
Since our 2013 survey, new teacher education preferred career alternative to elementary or
graduates applying for teaching jobs outside secondary teaching
Ontario fell from one in four (24 per cent) to
just one in six (16 per cent). Similarly, fewer The teaching job market varies across
now plan to teach outside the province in the the province, with reported first-year
second year following certification. unemployment highest in central Ontario and
Toronto and lowest in the north.
Those who do leave Ontario report better
employment outcomes than Ontario-resident The strengthening teacher employment
teachers, likely accounted for, in part at least, market over the past several years resulted
by the phenomenon of many leaving the in some gains for newly Ontario-licensed
province only in circumstances where they teachers educated outside the province.
have an employment offer or good prospects Ontario university education graduates,
of a job. however, continue to enjoy higher rates of
full employment in the first-year as Ontario
Despite improvements in publicly funded licensed teachers than newly licensed
school board teaching job opportunities, teachers from most other sources. Ontario
Ontario independent schools continue licensed teachers who completed their
to employ first-year teachers at rates teacher education in other provinces are
disproportionate to their share of the an exception, with reported outcomes even
province’s education sector. stronger than those from Ontario university
program graduates.
More than one in four graduates licensed in
2015 from English-language programs applied The majority of first-year teachers who are
to Ontario independent schools. One in eight graduates of Ontario university teacher
newly licensed graduates hired in Ontario for education programs rate their practice
the 2015-16 school year taught at independent teaching and course work highly. They
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 7ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
identify a range of foundational professional on career commitment. Early-career teachers
knowledge and pedagogical skills for which allow their Ontario teaching licences to
they were not as well prepared and/or which lapse in much greater numbers than before
are high on their priority lists for future – and French-language program graduates
professional development. These include to a much greater extent than English-
special education, teaching students with language grads.
special needs, supporting second language
learners and mental health, addictions and Hiring process context
well-being, among other areas addressed in Legislation first introduced in fall 2012
the enhanced teacher education regulations supports transparency in hiring by Ontario
introduced last year. publicly funded school boards. Standardized
procedures define a pathway to permanent
Most Ontario education graduates engage employment that usually requires new
in significant and varied professional teachers to start on daily supply rosters and
development in their early years of teaching. short-term occasional teaching before gaining
Those with permanent teaching contracts in eligibility to apply for longer term occasional
Ontario publicly funded school boards, and assignments and eventually to compete for
almost half of those with long term occasional permanent employment opportunities with a
(LTO) contracts, participate in and value the school board.
supports available through the New Teacher
Induction Program (NTIP). This context is important for understanding
how an improving employment market is
Early-career teachers in daily supply roles unfolding. As work opportunities increase
engage in far less professional development for early-career teachers, the staged progress
than those in permanent and LTO jobs. toward full employment continues for most
Most miss out on the extensive formal new Ontario teachers. Most will still need to
and informal school-based professional spend many months on daily supply rosters,
development, orientation, mentoring and although more of them will likely be able to
principal evaluations. And they engage far less do so on a near full-time basis as they work
with other educators in subject or specialist toward eligibility to move into LTO and
associations, in collaborative learning and in permanent positions.
teacher enquiry. Many do pursue Additional
Qualifications courses, however, on their own This hiring process legislation does not apply
time and using their own financial resources. to Ontario independent school hiring. As of
December 2015, the legislation also no longer
The now receding Ontario teacher surplus applies to publicly funded French language
left a legacy of continuing negative impacts school board hiring.
8 TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
2. Employment outcomes
Full employment reports improve, permanent teaching jobs, they say they taught
even as unemployment edges up as much as they wanted in their first-year.
slightly (See chart below)
For the third year in a row, more teachers
graduating from Ontario-based initial teacher From a low of just 28 per cent reporting full
education programs report they view employment in 2013, full employment reports
themselves as fully employed6 in their first- now stand at more than half of first-year
year on the job market as Ontario licensed teachers (52 per cent).7
teachers. Although many do not yet have
First-year teacher job outcomes - all Ontario graduates
Survey year
2006 70%
2007 62%
2008 59%
2009 41%
2010 33%
2011 33%
2012 29%
2013 28%
2014 37%
2015 46%
2016 52%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Unemployed Underemployed Fully employed as teacher
6 “Full employment” is a self-assessed status of those teachers who report they are employed and secured as much
teaching as they wanted throughout the school year. They may be full-time or part-time and may be in permanent,
LTO or daily supply teaching roles, in Ontario or elsewhere.
7 This chart and others throughout identify whether the data reported is for all Ontario graduates in the years
referred to or for only those who are Ontario-resident.
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 9ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
First-year teacher contract types - all Ontario graduates
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2001 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016
Year of Survey
Permanent LTO/Term Daily Supply
The two-year decline in reported who are limited to daily supply rosters, part-
unemployment, however, stalled this year. time and/or limited term contract jobs. Many
After falling from a peak 38 per cent in 2013 teach in more than one school. And the gold
to just 22 per cent in 2015, the 2016 survey of standard permanent teaching contract is one
first-year Ontario graduates found 24 per cent or more years away for most of them.
unemployed.
Despite employment market improvements
First-year teachers reporting they are over the past three years, permanent teaching
underemployed8 fell in 2016 from 32 to 25 per jobs remain far less common for today’s
cent, thus accounting for the overall gain in new teachers than for the generation who
fully employed first-year teachers. entered the profession at the beginning of the
previous decade. Only one in five (21 per cent)
Precarious employment contract terms of all employed Ontario graduates licensed
continue as the norm for first-year teachers. in 2015 secured permanent teaching jobs by
The underemployed group includes many school year end – far below the 70 per cent
8 “Underemployed” refers to those who say they were employed as teachers to some extent, but wanted to be more
fully employed during the school year.
10 TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
first-year permanent contracts reported back or elsewhere. We turn now to the findings for
in 2001 when the province was in the midst the sub-group of Ontario-resident graduates
of its most recent teacher shortage. About in their first-year.
two in five (41 per cent) report LTO or other
term contracts and the remaining two in five First-year teachers resident in Ontario in
(38 per cent) employed first-year teachers 2016 report increased unemployment over
continued on daily supply rosters to the last year. Unemployment for these teachers
school year end. now stands at 27 per cent compared with
23 per cent reported in 2015. Although
I was accepted on an Occasional Teacher unemployment edged upward in 2016, the
roster right away and on a second list a current rate is well below the 37 per cent
few months later. The next hurdle for me unemployment reported by first-year Ontario-
is getting on the LTO list which will then resident teachers back in 2014.
allow me to apply for contract positions.
The process of getting a contract in southern On the other hand, reported
Ontario can take years and can be extremely underemployment fell to 26 per cent in
discouraging. 2016 from 35 per cent the previous year.
2015 Intermediate-Senior history Despite this gain, about half of first-year
and music graduate supply teaching teachers across all divisions are unemployed
full-time in central Ontario or underemployed in 2016. No divisional
qualification sub-group reported permanent
first-year teaching contracts for more than
The preceding commentary describes the about one in six newly licensed teachers on
findings with respect to the entire set of first- the job market in 2015-2016.
year respondents, whether living in Ontario
First-year Ontario-resident job outcomes in 2015-16 by division
Junior- Intermediate- Technological
Job Outcomes Primary-Junior
Intermediate Senior Education
Unemployed 28 % 22 % 20 % 24 %
Underemployed 25 21 29 32
Fully employed 47 57 51 46
Permanent contract* 9 13 12 17
*Percentage of all teachers on job market, including those unemployed
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 11ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
The stability of teaching contracts by school Three in five new teachers (59 per cent)
year end declined somewhat for first-year employed in Ontario report piecework
teachers in Ontario in 2016. Permanent teaching contracts. Almost half (47 per cent)
positions overall fell from 21 per cent to 17 per at year end still teach part-time and similar
cent and LTO contracts in excess of 97 days proportions say they teach in multiple schools
dipped slightly from 33 to 31 per cent. More (48 per cent) and teach daily supply (45 per
relied on daily supply teaching. cent). Just one in six (17 per cent) of the first-
year teachers employed in Ontario publicly
Although the process of getting hired was funded and independent schools say they
easier than I expected, I still find the wait secured a permanent teaching contract.
time between assignments daunting and may
consider moving. Employment contract quality indicators for
2015 Junior-Intermediate social sciences new Ontario-licensed teachers who leave
graduate part-time supply teaching the province for jobs elsewhere are starkly
in eastern Ontario different. They resort to daily supply, part-
time and/or multiple school assignments
much less frequently, with only 16 per cent
of them limited to such piecework teaching.
And two in five (39 per cent) find permanent
teaching jobs.
First school year-end teaching contracts
Ontario-resident employed teachers
50%
45%
40%
19 % at 97 days or
more;
13 % under 97 days
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Permanent Long Term Occasional Other limited term contract Daily supply
2014 Survey 2015 Survey 2016 Survey
12 TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
I am moving to Alberta for a permanent As noted elsewhere, some of this difference
elementary position in the 2016-2017 school is explained by the staged hiring process
year because I was unable to obtain even for new teachers in Ontario publicly funded
supply work in Ontario. I cannot put my life school boards. School board entry processes
on hold for years to teach in Ontario. It is normally start with daily supply teaching
disheartening that motivated, young teachers and only over time allow new teachers to
cannot find work. compete for LTO and permanent teaching
2015 Primary-Junior graduate positions. Many of those who leave Ontario
unemployed as a teacher in Toronto do so because they are offered jobs elsewhere
or have good prospects of stable teaching
positions. This selection bias improves the
out-of-province outcomes.
Stability of first-year teaching contracts -
Ontario-resident and out-of-province resident
Permanent contracts
Multi-school teaching
Part-time
Daily occasional
Piecework
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Ontario resident Out-of-province resident
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 13ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
Early-career unemployment rates I find it very discouraging. I have not been
well below 2014 and earlier years contacted for an interview with any of the
Despite the small rise in first-year eight school boards I applied to. I have
unemployment in 2016, early-career completed AQs and volunteer each week
unemployment continues well below 2013 to keep up to date. I have references from
and 2014 rates across the first five years as many teachers I worked with. I work at three
licensed teachers. minimum wage jobs in the education field
but I just cannot economically support this
Many more early-career teachers today, lifestyle for another year. I have such a strong
however, are unemployed than back in 2008. passion for teaching and helping students
The still quite high unemployment rates learn and succeed, but I am losing hope and
across the first two years (24 and 14 per cent becoming discouraged.
in years one and two) discourage some of 2014 Intermediate-Senior history and
these early-career teachers. social sciences graduate unemployed
as a teacher in central Ontario
Unemployment rates - all Ontario graduates
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
First-year teachers Second-year teachers Third-year teachers Fourth-year teachers Fifth-year teachers
2008 Survey 2013 Survey 2014 Survey 2015 Survey 2016 Survey
14 TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
Our surveys in 2016 show that early career And with each additional year, more gain
teachers who maintain their commitment to permanent teaching jobs. Four years in, half
the profession improve their teaching of Ontario graduates licensed in 2012 (51 per
contract status over time. Daily supply cent) report they have permanent teaching
teaching rates fall with each additional year of contracts. Among the ten-year veterans now,
teaching. Three in five (61 per cent) say they those first licensed in 2006, nine in 10 report
are employed full-time in years one and two, permanent teaching jobs and just six per cent
rising to three in four (75 per cent) by teach on a daily supply basis.
year four.
Teaching contract status in 2016 -
all Ontario graduates by years since licensing
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
One Two Three Four Five Ten
Years since Ontario teaching licence
Permanent contracts LTO Supply teaching Full-time
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 15ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
Time needed to achieve full Others take time out from teaching for further
employment shrinks again in 2016 study, family or other reasons. This study
Despite the small uptick in first-year defines full employment for teachers as the
unemployment in 2016 – likely an impact status of those who report:
of the transitional bump in new members • they are active in the job market and
in 2015 – the decline in combined rate of either working as or seeking work as
unemployment and underemployment elementary or secondary teachers,
continued for a third year following the peak • are employed to some extent as
surplus years level reached in 2013. Today teachers during part or all of the
Ontario graduates are doing significantly school year, and
better over their first five years after initial • say they secured as much teaching
licensure than in the recent past. employment as they want throughout
the school year.
Despite marked improvements, however,
more than two in five of this generation of Teachers who are in the market actively
teachers are not fully employed two years into looking for work (including those who want
their teaching careers and one in three have to teach but say they do not apply for jobs
still not achieved this goal in five years. because they are discouraged about teaching
prospects) and are either unemployed for
Some teachers seek part-time or occasional the whole school year or report finding less
teaching by choice as they start their careers. teaching work than they want in a particular
Underemployed and unemployed by years since licensure -
all Ontario graduates
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
1st year 2nd year 3rd year 4th year 5th year
2006 survey 2007 survey 2008 survey 2009 survey 2010 survey 2011 survey
2012 survey 2013 survey 2014 survey 2015 survey 2016 survey
16 TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
school year, are not fully employed. Those who job outcome effects of the teacher surplus
say they voluntarily took the year off to do peaked in 2013 and that better job outcomes
something else and did not seek employment lie ahead.
as elementary or secondary teachers in Ontario
or elsewhere are excluded from this analysis. Many supplement income in other
occupations, some as preferred
Using these definitions, time to full alternative career path
employment lengthened steadily and With the still challenging teacher
dramatically in Ontario 2006 to 2013. Then, employment market for Ontario graduates,
the trend line reversed – and wait times two in three (65 per cent) Ontario graduate
are now much shorter than three years first-year licensed teachers work in non-
ago in each of the first five years of Ontario teaching jobs. They do this either as a
graduates’ teaching careers. preferred alternative to teaching or, more
typically, as a fallback in the face of a failed
Since 2006: teaching job search or to supplement part-
• the proportion of first-year teachers time and/or occasional teaching. The majority
active on the job market but not fully of them (71 per cent) pursue this alternative
employed increased from 30 to 72 per work on a part-time basis.
cent in 2013, and has now fallen back
to 48 per cent Most first-year teachers who take on jobs for
• second-year teachers grew from 20 to which they do not need an Ontario teaching
66 per cent by 2012, falling back to 44 licence work at teaching-related occupations.
per cent in 2016 Two in three of all who report alternate work
• third-year teachers from 13 to 61 per say they are engaged in something that uses
cent by 2013, down to 37 per cent in their teaching skills. Most frequently they
2016 cite work as a tutor, either on a private basis
• fourth-year teachers from eight to 51 or for a tutoring company. Many also report
per cent in 2014, down to 34 per cent early childhood education jobs, child care,
2016, and or after school program work. Others have
• fifth-year teachers from six to 47 per post-secondary teaching jobs, or teach in
cent in 2013, down to 33 per cent in museums or in other settings not requiring
2016. an Ontario Certified Teacher designation.
Adult education, corporate training, coaching,
The substantial reduction in number of new recreation, and child and youth special service
teachers anticipated for the remainder of roles are other teaching related jobs reported.
this decade very likely means that the worst
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 17ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
First-year Ontario-resident teacher alternate jobs % reporting type of job
Tutoring 17 %
Hospitality, service or retail roles 13
Teaching in another role or setting not requiring OCT 9
designation
After school programing 9
ECE, childcare 8
Administrative, financial services or clerical 7
Post-secondary instruction 7
Recreation, coaching or personal training 6
Education assistant 4
Adult education or corporate training 4
Child and youth or special needs work 3
Managerial or non-teacher professional 3
Creative or performing arts 3
Trades, manufacturing or construction 2
Other 7
Many work in unrelated jobs in hospitality, Two in five say they hope the alternative
service or retail, administrative, financial work will advance their future prospects
services or clerical roles, or work in creative for securing a teaching job. But one in four
or performing arts, trades, manufacturing or reports this employment as an obstacle to
construction or non-education professions. seeking and being available for teaching
Some respondents say they juggle more than opportunities.
one type of alternative work while continuing
to look for teaching jobs. I chose to work in Arts Education rather than
in a school, not for lack of job availability but
About three in four consider non-teacher because that is where I would like to be at this
employment to be a temporary expedient to stage in my career.
full-time teaching. Almost two in three say 2015 Primary-Junior graduate
they need to take on this work to supplement working in Manitoba
teaching income. About half are continuing
alternative work that supported them during
their university studies. One in three report About one in eight of these first-year teachers
the alternative as a return to a career that in alternate occupations say they are actually
preceded teacher education. pursuing this work as a preferred alternative
to a career in elementary or secondary
teaching.
18 TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
First-year teacher perspectives on their work in
% agree or strongly agree
non-teacher occupations
This alternative work is just a temporary arrangement until I 73 %
am employed as a teacher
I need to do this other work to supplement my teaching 64
income
Some or all of this other work is a continuation of part-time 54
and/or summer employment I had to support myself during
my university years
I am pursuing this other work to increase my chances of 43
getting a teaching job
Some or all of this other work is a return to a career I pursued 30
before I enrolled in teacher education
This work is an obstacle to searching for or being available for 26
teaching opportunities
I am pursuing this other work as a preferred career alternative 13
to elementary or secondary teaching
Surpluses are over for French- I did not do any supply days because I went
language program graduates and for straight into an LTO position. It is very easy
FSL teachers to get employed as a French second language
Following a brief four years of substandard teacher right now in Ontario. I graduated
job outcomes for both French-language last year and I already have a permanent
program graduates and French as a second full-time position.
language qualified teachers in the first school 2015 Primary-Junior graduate
year after teacher licensing, the 2014, 2015 full-time FSL teacher in eastern Ontario
and now 2016 survey results confirm a return
to early full employment as the norm for most
Ontario graduates with these qualifications. With reduced numbers of new teachers in
2016 and future years, most French-language
Over the past three years newly licensed qualified new teachers should expect early job
French-language program graduates and FSL success and Ontario school boards will likely
qualified teachers reporting full employment need to plan for increased FSL and French
improved from just half of first-year teachers first language teacher recruitment challenges.
back in 2010 through 2013 to about seven in
10 by 2015 and 2016.
And only eight per cent of these teachers now
report first-year unemployment – down from
18 per cent in our surveys in 2012 and 2013.
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 19ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
Among all French-language teachers Ontario French-language program graduates
employed in the 2015-2016 school year, just include significant numbers who seek
one in four (26 per cent) say they secured employment outside Ontario, mainly in
permanent teaching contracts by school year Québec. When we drill down to those French-
end. This is down from 32 per cent in 2015, language teachers resident in Ontario, the
and still far below the 73 per cent rate at the improvements to the Ontario job market are
beginning of the last decade. The continuing also evident, although the one time jump in
low rate of permanent first-year hires reflects new College members in 2015 generated an
in part the legislated changes to publicly uptick in unemployment among this sub-
funded school board hiring procedures. group this year.
French-language teachers include two I supply taught immediately after gradu-
distinct groups – graduates of French- ating and by June had a permanent teaching
language teacher education programs and contract for the 2015-16 school year in the
teacher education graduates qualified to teach French public board.
French as a second language. Both French- 2015 Intermediate-Senior math and French
language teacher groups in Ontario reported graduate of French-language
low unemployment rates in 2015 and 2016. program teaching in Ottawa
Employment outcomes for all first-year
French-language teachers
100%
90%
80%
52% 50% 49%
54% 56%
70%
69% 68%
60%
77%
86%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2008 survey 2009 survey 2010 survey 2011 survey 2012 survey 2013 survey 2014 survey 2015 survey 2016 survey
Unemployed Underemployed Consider fully employed
20 TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
FSL-qualified teacher unemployment fell to Both French-language program graduates
three and five per cent in 2015 and 2016 and FSL qualified teachers maintain their
respectively, down sharply from a high of 17 strong competitive advantages over English-
per cent in 2013. And the rate for Ontario- language teachers, despite the improvement
resident graduates of French-language in the English-language market since 2013.
programs is now nine per cent – up from four
per cent in 2015, but still significantly below
the high of 18 per cent back in 2012.
First-year teachers with permanent teaching jobs -
all Ontario graduates
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Year of Certification
English-language teachers French-language teachers
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 21ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
Job outcomes vary widely across continues to lag far behind French-language
language and qualification types groups in the 2016 unemployment rates.
The chart below most clearly presents the
striking differences between the English- and As noted in an earlier section of this report,
French-language teaching job markets in about 2,400 more teachers gained Ontario
Ontario. Unemployment peaked in 2013 at 45 teaching licences in 2015 than had been
per cent among English-language teachers, granted on average over the preceding three
two and a half times greater than the peak years. This bump was associated with the
unemployment rates of 18 and 17 per cent for 2015 deadline to apply for an Ontario teaching
French-language program graduates and FSL- licence under the regulations that preceded
qualified teachers. the enhanced teacher education program
introduced that year.
The French- and English-language job
markets both improved greatly since 2012 and Although some of these new teachers appear
2013. The English-language teacher9 group to have been hedging their bets for a possible
future teaching career, did not renew their
First-year Ontario resident teacher unemployment rates
by year of survey
50%
45%
45%
42%
41% 40%
39%
40%
35%
31% 34%
33%
30%
27%
25% 23%
20%
18% 17%
15% 16% 13%
15%
10%
11% 9%
4%
5% 5%
3%
0%
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Year of survey
FSL qualified French-language programs English-language teachers All Ontario-resident teachers
9 English-language teachers are graduates of English-language teacher education programs not employed or
qualified to teach French as a second language or in French-language school programs.
22 TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
licences in 2016 and were not active in the variety of other measures – lower rates of full
Ontario teaching job market, enough did so to employment, fewer permanent positions, and
temporarily increase the number of first-year a higher proportion of piecework teaching
teachers looking for jobs in the 2015-16 school contracts.
year. The chart above records the impact of
the increased competition across all three Among French-language teachers, the FSL-
sub-groups of teachers. qualified report lower unemployment but
also higher underemployment and piecework
With the substantial reduction in new teacher teaching contracts than French-language
licences in 2016 and future years, it is program graduates. French-language program
expected that the uptick in unemployment graduates report much higher rates of
rates for these several employment markets permanent first-year teaching contracts than
will revert to the downward trend of recent the FSL-qualified group.
years.
English-language teachers resident in Ontario
English-language teachers continue to report report varied job outcomes in the first-year
much weaker job outcomes in Ontario than following licensure.
the two French-language groups across a
Job outcomes for first-year English-language and
French-language teachers resident in Ontario in 2016
Teaching at more than one school
Part-time teaching
Daily supply
Piecework
Permanent positions
Underemployed
Unemployed
Consider fully employed
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
English-language teachers French as a second language teachers French-language program graduates
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 23ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
First-year Ontario-resident English-language teacher 2016 job outcomes
All English-language 34% 26% 40%
Primary Junior 37% 25% 38%
Junior Intermediate 34% 25% 40%
Intermediate Senior 16% 32% 52%
(Math, Sci, Comp St)
Intermediate Senior 28% 28% 45%
(excl Math, Sci, CS, French)
Technological Education 25% 33% 42%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Unemployed Underemployed Consider fully employed
More than one in three Ontario-resident After a few months on the occasional teacher
English-language Primary-Junior and Junior- list, I obtained a 67 per cent LTO contract
Intermediate qualified teachers say they were to teach general science and physics. It was
unemployed throughout the first school year extended to full-time LTO for the second
after licensing. And only about two in five say semester. I attribute this success to my
they considered themselves fully employed as physics teachable.
teachers in that first-year. 2014 Intermediate-Senior math
and physics graduate
English-language Intermediate-Senior licensed in 2015 and teaching
employment reports are considerably stronger in central Ontario
but also vary greatly based on teaching subject
qualifications. Those with math, science and/
or computer studies qualifications report Intermediate-Senior teachers lacking these
more success, with unemployment at just 16 relatively higher demand teaching subjects
per cent and more than half fully employed. or French as a teaching subject continue to
Although this is not the success level of a report higher unemployment (28 per cent)
decade ago, the outcomes are considerably and just 45 per cent consider themselves fully
better than the 34 per cent unemployment employed teachers.
rate reported by this qualification sub-group
just three years ago.
24 TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
One in four first-year Technological Fewer teachers seek jobs in other
Education qualified teachers report they provinces and internationally
are unemployed and just 42 per cent fully The strengthening Ontario teaching job market
employed. Caution is urged in interpreting appears to reduce the level of interest in
these findings because of the very low return out-of-province job hunting among early-
rate (and population) of this sub-group. career teachers. Since 2013, new teacher
education graduates who apply to teaching
These still comparatively high unemployment jobs outside the province decreased from 24
rates and low rates of full employment suggest per cent to 16 per cent. And our 2016 survey
that the improving employment situation also found 12 per cent of them actually held
for English-language teachers in Ontario teaching jobs elsewhere in their first-year,
continues to reflect an overall substantial down from 17 per cent in 2013. Similarly, fewer
cumulative teacher surplus. However, as now plan to teach outside the province in the
job outcomes continue to improve for some second year following Ontario licensing.
Intermediate-Senior teaching subjects, the
adequacy of supply of these qualifications The combined group of first-year teachers
warrants monitoring as the number of new either teaching outside Ontario in the first-
teachers drops substantially in 2016 and the year or planning to do so in their second year
years ahead. has fallen by more than half in the past three
years – from 31 per cent in 2013 to just 14 per
cent in 2016.
First-year teaching outside Ontario by survey year
35%
30%
25%
Applied to jobs
20% outside Ontario
Teaching outside
Ontario in first-year
15% Plan to teach outside
Ontario in second year
Teaching outside Ontario
or planning to in future
10%
5%
0%
2013 2014 2015 2016
Survey year
TRANSITION TO TEACHING 2016 25ONTARIO COLLEGE OF TEACHERS
More than three in five (63 per cent) of the Northern and eastern Ontario job
first-year group surveyed in 2016 who either outcomes stronger than other
teach elsewhere or plan to do so expect they regions
will eventually return to Ontario to teach at The proportion of first-year teachers in
some time in the future. One in six of them Ontario saying they are fully employed has
(17 per cent) say they likely or definitely have grown from just one in four (24 per cent) in
closed the door on a return. One in five are 2013 to almost half (47 per cent) in 2016.
uncertain whether or not they will return. Nonetheless, unemployment and
underemployment are common across all
I chose to teach overseas in Australia as I am regions of the province. Only in northern and
a passionate teacher and wanted to teach, eastern Ontario do more than half of the
rather than wade my way through the Ontario survey respondents report full employment.
hiring process. The prospect of coming back is
very daunting as I have three years of expe- Unemployment among first-year teachers
rience as a full-time high school mathematics is highest in central Ontario and Toronto
and computer studies teacher and will likely (34 and 29 per cent respectively).
return to working as an Occasional Teacher at Northern Ontario enjoys the lowest rate of
best. Regardless of seniority, the best candidate unemployment (10 per cent).
should be able to apply.
2013 Intermediate-Senior math and
computer studies graduate teaching
full-time on contract in Australia
First-year teacher employment success across Ontario regions
Ontario average 27% 26% 47%
Northern Ontario 10% 29% 61%
(Postal Code P)
Eastern Ontario 15% 34% 51%
(Postal Code K)
Southwestern Ontario 23% 29% 49%
(Postal Code N)
Central Ontario 34% 21% 45%
(Postal Code L)
City of Toronto 29% 27% 44%
(Postal Code M)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Unemployed Underemployed Consider fully employed
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