More Certified Teachers Coming To B.C. Schools

Recruitment and training initiatives are underway for the coming school year to get more certified teachers into B.C. classrooms and build B.C.’s K-12 workforce.

“We know that the record numbers of newcomers moving to B.C each year means we need more teaching staff in schools,” said Rachna Singh, Minister of Education and Child Care.

“We’re actively working with our education partners on K-12 workforce initiatives to support the recruitment and retention of more certified teachers and build a sustainable education workforce for years to come.”

Through the Province’s StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan, $12.5 million over three years is supporting provincewide recruitment and training initiatives for teachers.

This year, almost $4 million is going toward recruitment and training programs, with a focus on supporting teacher retention in the sector, improving flexibility in teacher education programs, and recruiting more teachers in rural and remote communities.

“Training the next generation of certified teachers is an important part of our Future Ready Action Plan,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.

“Building flexibility in education programs supports more people in choosing teaching as a career and helps to fill in-demand positions, providing good-paying jobs for British Columbians.”

A provincial hiring incentive that brought 50 new certified teachers to rural and remote schools in 2023 is on track to hire almost 60 more teachers for the coming school year.

Supported through $1.5 million in provincial funding over three years, this program provides cash incentives of as much as $10,000 for teachers to work in areas with the highest need.

This initiative has supported hiring needs in several remote communities in B.C., including northern B.C., Vancouver Island and the Thompson-Okanagan region.

Since 2023, certification standards have been updated so that more internationally trained educators could work in B.C.’s classrooms.

The Province also provides $100,000 in scholarships each year to high school students in B.C. who want to pursue teaching as a career, with the goal of growing the number of local educators in B.C. schools.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.