The nation is currently undergoing a shortage of teachers and that shortage is just as prevalent in our state. Right now, the Alabama State Department of Education job board has more than 1,000 teaching jobs available. For some with dreams of teaching it may be easier to get one of those jobs. This after the University of South Alabama was awarded a $2 million dollar grant from the Alabama STEM Council. That $2 million will make it easier for students who are pursing degrees in stem to earn teacher certification. A new solution to a major problem.

Higher level educators calling on the next generation.

"Our numbers for students interested in teaching middle and high school math and science are always have been relatively low," says Dr. Christopher Parrish, Assistant Professor, Department of Leadership and Teacher Education Mathematics Education K-12 at the University of South Alabama.

In dire need of people interested in teaching STEM, that's science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

"In the last academic year, we have only produced 8 math or science teachers and if this grant is successful, we should produce 30-35 math and science teachers a year from the program," says Dr. Parrish.

That program is called UTeach. Thanks to 2 million dollars in grant funding, students majoring in STEM at the University of South Alabama now have the opportunity to earn teacher certification and begin careers in education easier than before. Historically, it's more difficult for students with stem majors to get certified.

"It will serve as a minor for students who are majoring in one of the natural sciences or mathematics and that minor will give them a teaching certificate to teach secondary middle school or high school stem disciplines and they receive that certification without having to do the double major that they are required to do so now," says Parrish.

He says this will remove barriers to teaching certifications because the degree programs at south are big. The UTeach program makes it more condensed.

"They will major in the stem discipline, but then their minor will be in the focused course work and allow them to get that teaching credential without the degree plan that would often take more than 4 years."

By 2028, if the program meets its goal, USA will have quadrupled its number of stem education graduates. Parrish says that's a big deal.

"I get emails and phone calls all the time from local principals saying do you have anybody that could possibly fill a teaching vacancy in math and science,” says Parrish. "It really meets the need for local schools."

South will begin recruiting students for this program this as early as 2023 freshman fall orientation.