PROVIDENCE – Gov. Dan McKee, Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, and the Rhode Island Department of Education have announced that the agency will host a statewide, multi-day job fair in May at the Crowne Plaza in Warwick to promote and provide individuals in the job market with direct access to open opportunities in a wide range of education-focused areas.
The fair, being held on Sunday, May 7, and Monday, May 8, will allow attendees to engage with participants from more than 25 local education agencies, nine institutions and preparatory programs of higher education, and seven food and transportation providers. The event comes as districts and education-focused agencies and organizations face workforce challenges statewide.
“Educators and other school professionals play a pivotal role in our Rhode Island workforce, and they are crucial in our work to improve student outcomes,” said McKee. “It is time to support those seeking opportunities in education by demonstrating how rewarding it is to be a part of a student’s success, while helping drive the state economy forward for generations to come. We invite anyone interested in a rewarding career to attend this education focused job fair.”
The Statewide Job Fair initiative, which is aligned with Rhode Island’s Strategic Plan for Public Education, aims to alleviate employment shortages in the education sector. Reporting indicates that communities across the country continue to face difficulties with staffing, with recent coverage noting concerning trends of teachers leaving the profession nationwide.
The fair proposes to aid in recruiting and retaining a diverse group of professionals, including classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, and food service and transportation staff. The event will offer information on hundreds of different open job opportunities, as well as provide on-site interviewing and details on hiring processes for public school districts, charter schools, transportation agencies and food service organizations. Representatives from Rhode Island colleges and universities will be present to provide information to job candidates who are interested in certification pathways, and RIDE’s Certification Office will be present to help attendees with any certification requests and questions.
“Directly engaging with our communities to attract and retain world-class talent in our school districts across Rhode Island is critical for educational success,” said Infante-Green. “Like communities across the nation, Rhode Island is experiencing workforce shortages, but we are taking a proactive step to address this with a statewide job fair. I am excited to assist our potential educators and support staff in finding the right opportunities for themselves and what will best serve our students’ and their futures.”
“In order to address the shortages of educators and support professionals, Rhode Island must work hard to recruit and keep those looking to work with and support our students. I am pleased that RIDE has made it a priority to help find and hire talented individuals who have a passion for teaching and education,” said Chairperson of the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education Patti DiCenso. “I thank RIDE and partners for their unwavering determination in supporting our students and invite community members to attend the fair.”
“As a lifelong Rhode Islander and two-time graduate of Rhode Island College, I am proud to come from a family of educators. The Rhode Island education system is an integral part of who I am and where I’m from. There is nothing more rewarding in this career than the connections you make with your students, their families, and the community,” said 2023 Rhode Island State Teacher of the Year and North Providence Public Schools educator Lisa Leaheey. “As State Teacher of the Year, I am thrilled and humbled to represent the thousands of incredible Rhode Island educators, and I encourage everyone interested in sharing their love for learning to attend the job fair and discover how they can help enrich the lives of young people.”
The job fair will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, and Monday, May 8, 2023 at the Crowne Plaza, located at 801 Greenwich Avenue, Warwick, RI 02886. To register as a job candidate, click here. Interested candidates and organizations can direct questions to Julia.Mann@ride.ri.gov.
Featured Local Education Agencies:
Barrington Public Schools
Beacon Charter Schools
Burrillville School Department
Central Falls School District
Coventry Public Schools
Cumberland School Department
East Greenwich School Department
East Providence School District
Excel Academy Charter Schools
Narragansett School System
Nuestro Mundo Public Charter School
Paul Cuffee Charter School
Pawtucket School Department
Portsmouth School Department
Providence Preparatory Charter School
Providence Public Schools
RI Nurses Institute Middle College
RISE Prep Mayoral Academy
Scituate Public Schools
Segue Institute for Learning
SouthSide Elementary Charter School
The Hope Academy
The UCAP School
Warwick School Department
Woonsocket Education Department
YouthBuild Preparatory Academy
Featured Education Preparation Programs:
Brown University: Master of Arts in Teaching Program
Johnson & Wales University
Principal Residency Network at CLEE
Providence College
Rhode Island College FSEHD
Rhode Island School for Progressive Education
Roger Williams University: Career and Technical Education Teacher Certification Program and English and Second Language Teacher Certification Program
Teach For America Rhode Island
Teacher Certification Program (TCP) at Providence College
Featured Food Service Programs and Transportation Companies:
Aramark Student Nutrition
Dattco
First Student
SLA Management Inc
Sodexo
Warwick Public Schools
Woonsocket Education Department
