Challenges and successes of hiring career and technical education instructors experienced by technical and state colleges in the Florida panhandle

Abstract

Evidence supports the existence of a shortage of instructors within education in the United States. This study explored the challenges and successes in recruiting and hiring Career and Technical (CTE) faculty at the post-secondary level in the Florida panhandle. Using a qualitative semi-structured interview approach, six institutions across the Florida panhandle participated. Finding ways to recruit and hire CTE faculty plays a factor in offering CTE programs that provide training to reduce the skills gap in the workforce. The thematic analysis revealed that all participants experienced pay as the largest challenge to recruitment and hiring of CTE faculty. Additional challenges appeared to be credentialing and qualifications, industry experience, teaching experience, hiring processes, technology skills, and a general shortage of a skilled workforce. Hiring processes, such as creating job descriptions and advertising, were identified as successes and were key to some participants successfully recruiting and hiring CTE faculty. Additional successes were identified as selling the candidate on the regional community, creating an enticing work environment, providing a detailed compensation and benefit package, providing mentorships, and identifying individuals with high self-efficacy. The successes identified through this study could potentially be used by others to increase successes in recruiting and hiring CTE faculty.