Amid a nation-wide worker shortage, many businesses, companies and employers are struggling to seek applicants to fill these open jobs. Not only are companies struggling but schools are struggling to run efficiently. Broward County Public Schools is actively recruiting teachers, media specialists, special education teachers, counselors, substitute teachers and other applicants due to the lack of workers.

To make the application open to a variety of individuals, BCPS has made them available for applicants with different levels of education and professional experience. A high school diploma is not required for jobs such as facilities service persons, food service workers, bus operators or bus attendants. A high school diploma is required for jobs such as general and financial clerical workers, campus monitors, security specialists and school guardians. Higher degrees are necessary for positions including substitutes, classroom teacher, school psychologist, social worker, school administrator and many more.

All jobs that are available and their qualification requirements can be found by searching BCPS’s jobs database.

The district struggled last year as well with the lack of employees. There was a shortage of bus drivers which resulted in many problems for the district. MSD was personally affected by the staff shortage when substitutes could not provide for teacher absences. As a result, students were put into the auditorium for the period and caused an overfilled auditorium with very few staff members there to look over them.

Over the summer, MSD held interviews for 19 teacher openings, across various subject areas. These interviews were held by Principal Kefford, Assistant Principal Lisa Farris and Assistant Principal Sandra Davis. The interviews successfully filled all positions that were previously needed at MSD.

“It is important to note that at MSD we have all our buses and bus drivers and we have also been very lucky in having substitutes available to come to our school as needed,” Mrs. Farris said.

However, there is a shortage of bus drivers and substitutes across the district, and these positions are hired by the BCPS. BCPS is the sixth-largest district in the nation and second largest in Florida.

The lack of employees is affecting students’ learning, their ability to ride the bus, having clean school grounds, substitutes while their teachers are absent and more, so other BCPS students will benefit from incoming employees.

Along with general employment, BCPS is providing additional benefits for their employees to encourage people to apply including comprehensive insurance with health, medical, dental and vision benefits, 100 percent paid by the district. Employees also receive paid time off, free professional development and inclusion in the Florida State Pension Plan. Bus drivers are given free certification courses and tests so they are able to earn the education needed to drive students safely.

Although MSD no longer is experiencing the staffing issues faced last year, BCPS is working towards fixing the lack of staff in other schools across the district.