Some recent teaching program graduates say they are facing significant delays in receiving their Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) certifications, leaving them worried about securing permanent employment come September.
Chelsea Brassard, who graduated from the University of Ottawa’s degree program in April, said she began applying for certification in May 2021 while still a student.
Almost a year later, the OCT issued her a temporary certificate, an emergency measure to address the teacher shortage caused by COVID-19. It is due to expire in December. Brassard wants to get a permanent teaching job, but says he can’t do that with the temporary certificate.
“Without that full certification, it kind of puts my dreams on hold. It’s stopping my career from going forward,” Brassard said. “It’s really getting in the way of my future.”
Brassard said she called multiple times to ask about her application, but would wait three or four hours before getting through to a representative.
When she received her provisional certification in May, Brassard said she reached out to schools looking for emergency teaching positions and saw firsthand how high the demand for teachers was.
“They called me every day from May to June,” she said.
“Mixed Messages”
Taylor Harndon also recently graduated from the University of Ottawa’s degree program and began applying for certification in December 2021. She received her provisional certification in May.
“My OCT process was very, very frustrating from the beginning and at times anxious,” she said.
Harndon said she faced problems with her application and was initially told that her degree, a relatively new program at Algonquin College, was not recognized by the OCT.
Harnden, right, is among recent graduates who report “stressful” delays in receiving their teaching certificates from the OCT. Seen here at her university convocation in June 2022. (Submitted by Taylor Harndon)
Although she called multiple times and waited hours before speaking with a representative, Harnden said the information she received was confusing and sometimes contradictory.
“It’s just frustrating because they tell you not to call. But when you call, you do get an answer and they have answers for you, but they’re all mixed messages,” she said.
Those delays have also been a financial concern for Harndon, who said her lack of full certification has hampered her job search.
It contributes to the teacher shortage
Delays in OCT applications are increasingly common, said Joel Westheimer, a professor of the social foundations of education at the University of Ottawa and an education columnist for CBC Radio.
He said he had heard the application process was “incredibly frustrating” for many prospective teachers, who spent hours on hold and couldn’t get their emails answered.
“It’s a little bit like calling the phone company,” he said, adding that he’s concerned teachers feel disrespected by the whole process.
Ontario has a “tremendous” need for teachers right now, says Joel Westheimer, and certification delays aren’t helping. (Submitted by Joel Westheimer)
These delays come at a time when the need for teachers is “tremendous,” Westheimer explained.
“We have a shortage of teachers. We are coming out of the pandemic. We are in desperate need of new, energetic and enthusiastic teachers. Now we’re using tons of temporary teachers filling positions that should be filled by certified teachers,” he said.
It’s hard to even quantify the current demand for certified teachers, he added.
A college spokesman said they had received a “much higher than normal volume” of documents, calls and emails and were working to get waiting times back to normal, including by increasing staff.
Between January 1 and June 1, 2022, the college said it certified more than 3,000 Ontario graduates, including provisional certificates.
The college said all certificate applications are processed within 30 business days of receiving the required documents, and they expect this year’s spring graduates to be certified in the coming weeks.
CBC contacted the Ottawa Catholic School Board and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board to inquire about teacher vacancies for the upcoming school year.
Both boards said staff who would normally be able to facilitate the request were not available as they were currently on holiday.
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