The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa’s College of Education is set to play an important role in a groundbreaking initiative to address Hawaiʻi’s teacher shortage. The state has been awarded a $4.9 million State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to create the first statewide registered apprenticeship program for K—12 teachers.
This innovative program will enable more than 140 aspiring educators to earn their bachelor’s degrees while gaining valuable classroom experience, all at no cost to them. UH Mānoa will be one of the institutions providing the necessary degree and licensure training for these students.
Enrollment details will be announced when available.
“The College of Education appreciates the efforts of the Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board and Department of Labor and Industrial Relations in obtaining the State Apprenticeship Expansion grant to support and enhance our teacher workforce,” said College of Education Dean Nathan Murata. “This support will enable aspiring educators to earn while they learn, immersing them in the teaching profession while being mentored by a seasoned teacher. The positive attributes of this grant are numerous and will be transformative for the teaching workforce, educator preparation programs, and our future educators.”
By combining on-the-job learning with related training instruction, the apprenticeship program offers a unique opportunity for individuals to gain specialized skills while earning wages. Upon completion, participants will be fully licensed teachers with two to three years of classroom experience, well-prepared to meet the educational needs of Hawaiʻi’s students.
‘Earn and learn’
In addition to classroom experience for future teachers, the apprenticeship program will train nationally certified teachers to become mentors to individuals entering the teaching profession. This “earn and learn” approach is expected to significantly impact teacher retention rates, as currently about half of new teachers leave the profession within the first five years, according to the Department of Education.
The apprenticeship program will help alleviate financial burdens for future teachers like Nicole Dolor-Bala, who is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in education at UH Mānoa.
“Coming from a low-income and immigrant family, I knew that I had to work extremely hard to pursue my aspiration. I had to take out numerous loans and apply for as many scholarships as I possibly could,” Dolor-Bala said. “I firmly believe that this ‘earn and learn’ apprenticeship program is a crucial support system for future educators, enabling them to pursue their dreams without the fear of financial struggles.”
This initiative is the result of a coordinated effort between the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaiʻi Teacher Standards Board and Hawaiʻi Lieutenant Governor’s Office to address the state’s teacher shortage and improve student achievement.
