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The teacher recruitment crisis: examining influential recruitment factors from a United States technology and engineering teacher preparation program

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Abstract

Decades of declining enrollment trends and additional program closures of Technology and Engineering (T&E) teacher preparation programs in the United States (US) continue to raise concerns about the trajectory and sustainability of the profession. These concerns are not insular to the US though as other countries have also presented data indicating a T&E teacher shortage crisis. In attempts to address these concerning trends, T&E teacher preparation programs in the US have implemented an amalgam of creative recruitment strategies. However, the data continues to show a downward trend in the country, questioning what is the sufficiency of these efforts and which are the most influential? This study surveyed 51 students enrolled in a T&E teacher preparation program in the eastern US to determine which recruitment methods had the greatest influence on their decision to enroll in the program. The findings revealed that face-to-face interactions with secondary level T&E educators, alumni, T&E teacher education faculty members, and an interest in hands-on hobbies related to T&E education were found to have a statistically significant influence on students’ decision to enroll in the T&E teacher preparation program. A number of recruitment factors such as secondary school counselors, brochures, and social media platforms did not have a significant influence on students’ enrollment decision. Recommendations and implications for T&E teacher preparation programs, teacher educators, program alumni, researchers, secondary level T&E teachers, administrators, and school counselors are provided to help countries facing a similar T&E teacher shortage crisis.

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Availability of data and material

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article [and its supplementary information files].

Code availability

Not applicable.

Notes

  1. Design and Technology Education in the United States is commonly referred to as Technology and Engineering Education.

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Funding

No funding was received for conducting this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Pennsylvania State University, Capital Campus, 777 W. Harrisburg Pike, 17057, Middletown, Pennsylvania, USA

    Tyler S. Love

  2. Donegal Junior High School, 915 Anderson Ferry Road, 17552, Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, USA

    Zachary J. Love

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  1. Tyler S. Love
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Contributions

Author ZJL designed the study and collected the data. Author TSL drafted the manuscript and conducted the statistical analyses. Both authors contributed to the revision of the manuscript and the approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tyler S. Love.

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Appendix A

Appendix A

Survey items

Directions: Please rank the extent to which the following recruitment factors influenced your decision to pursue a career as a Technology and Engineering (T&E) educator. Responses range from 1 to 6, with 1 representing no influence, and 6 representing very influential.

  1. 1.

    University recruiter visited my high school.

  2. 2.

    University social media account.

  3. 3.

    University or program website.

  4. 4.

    Program brochures.

  5. 5.

    Face to face interaction with a faculty member from the program.

  6. 6.

    Interaction(s) with alumni from the program.

  7. 7.

    Positive T&E education job characteristics.

  8. 8.

    Current student(s) in the T&E education program.

  9. 9.

    University open house event.

  10. 10.

    Involvement with Technology Student Association (TSA).

  11. 11.

    High school counselor(s).

  12. 12.

    Friends/peers.

  13. 13.

    Family members.

  14. 14.

    Middle or high school T&E teacher.

  15. 15.

    Interest in hands-on T&E hobbies.

  16. 16.

    Other (please describe).

.

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Love, T.S., Love, Z.J. The teacher recruitment crisis: examining influential recruitment factors from a United States technology and engineering teacher preparation program. Int J Technol Des Educ 33, 105–121 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-022-09727-4

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