The Philadelphia School District is launching a summer recruiting campaign for the next academic year. The plan includes numerous job fairs across the city to hire school-based support personnel in time for the fall semester.

Hiring Event Information

The series of job fairs kicks off on Wednesday, July 10, at Frances E. Willard School on E. Elkhart Street in Kensington. The event begins at 10 a.m., and attendees can talk with hiring managers from the Office of Talent about open roles and get interviewed immediately.

The available jobs include:

• Bilingual Counselling Assistants
• Trainee Building Engineers
• Bus Attendants and Drivers
• General Cleaners
• School Nurses
• Special Education Assistants
• Pupil Climate Team Members
• Support Service Assistants
• Food Services Workers

Future Hiring Events

Two more hiring events are in the pipeline for this summer:

• Wednesday, July 24, 2024 – Samuel Fels High School, 5500 Langdon St.
• Wednesday, August 7, 2024 – Northeast Community Propel Academy, 7500 Rowland Ave.

The district advises people not attending those gatherings to apply and learn more about WorkinPhilly.com. Those interested in teaching roles should visit Teachinphilly.com.

Meeting Staffing Demands

The district's hiring strategy involves accommodating its need for an additional 1,000 staff members for the school year 2023-2024. The goal is to guarantee that schools have adequate support personnel and teachers to solidify their commitment to high-quality student education.

An excellent illustration of this rapid-fire recruitment strategy occurred at a job fair at William D. Kelley School. Two hundred prospective employees lined up early, and the event featured efficient application processes and immediate interviews. This approach fast-tracks applications into job confirmations while assuring new recruits can begin work without delay when the academic year commences.

Community Feedback

Jordan Richards from West Philadelphia appreciates his overall experience at these job fairs. "It’s wonderful they’re hiring without delay," he said. I applied for roles such as Pupil Climate Staff and Bus Attendant. I think working directly within a school would suit me really well, as it gives me direct observation time with youths." 

Richards added that securing a position with the district would be a valuable stepping stone toward his career goal of becoming a social worker. His story underscores the potential for staff to expand their career horizons within the Philadelphia School District. Key findings include,

• The district needs to hire 1,000 more staff for the academic year 20232024.
• Immediate recruitment processes are making hiring and initial orientation faster.
• Prospective employees perceive these roles as doorways to fruitful future careers.

Staff Retention and Support Initiatives

In addition to recruitment, the school district also focuses on keeping hold of new hires. It has strategies to help teachers settle in rapidly and have ready access to every tool necessary to succeed. As Terri Rita, Deputy Chief of Talent, highlights, there is almost sufficient staffing now among secretaries, general cleaning personnel, and teachers. Ongoing efforts continue to reduce remaining shortfalls.

Pending salary upgrades due this fall also provide yet another reason for teachers to keep working with the district. "Teachers will see their pay increase from September 1 according to our current agreement," said Rita. "We'll be renegotiating contracts again, maybe by winter or springtime. I believe higher salaries will play a role."

Final Thoughts

The Philadelphia School District is moving efficiently towards dealing with understaffing issues and ensuring its preparedness for the coming academic year by conducting multiple hiring events while streamlining recruitment procedures, all meant to attract and retain hardworking individuals who sincerely want to better students' lives. For any people interested in joining this noble cause by acquiring an educational profession within the district, such job fairs offer them handy opportunities to directly connect with recruiters who'd inform them further about open roles, providing an excellent chance of paving the way to a lucrative career in the field of education.