Moving to a new province or country is both exciting and worrying. Learning to adapt to new systems, policies and procedures is necessary to become immersed in a new society. Finding out that you can’t automatically continue your teaching career when certified in a different country to Canada is heart-breaking, however, where there’s a will there’s a way!
Alberta is ranked the highest paid teaching profession in Canada (Government of Canada, 2020), consequently, many teachers move to Alberta from another province or country, however the process is far from simple!
During an interview with Jessica Taylor, an internationally educated teacher from the Uk, who teaches in an elementary school in Alberta, described the process as ‘a complicated and disheartening set of hoops to jump through’.
NEW CHALLENGES
Jessica moved from the UK to Calgary, in 2014, with four years teaching experience. The job market was and continues to be, extremely competitive! She realized that her teaching credentials needed to be assessed by Alberta Education which took longer than expected. “When I found out that assessing my qualifications would take months, I was heart-broken and I continually worried about my teaching career. As I explored my options, my husband suggested the idea of working as an Educational Assistant which truly turned things around for me. Not only did I keep educating students, but as a substitute EA, I began building connections with teachers and principals for future job opportunities.”
In summer 2015, Jessica was granted a teaching letter of authority and secured a teaching position in a public elementary school in Alberta, only to face a further challenge. “I remember feeling incredibly grateful for this opportunity, however my letter of authority was valid for one year only, and during that time I was required to earn university credits to continue teaching in the future. I was filled with dread and worry, wondering how long it would take for me to meet the government’s requirements and how we could finance studying.”
OVERCOMING MORE HEARTBREAK!
Initially, Jessica was told that she must complete another 3-year degree in order to meet the government’s requirements! “I was devasted! I already held a degree and a post-graduate degree, both obtained in the Uk! I knew that there had to be another way, and there was! Whilst teaching full-time, for 12 months, on my letter of authority, I completed courses through Athabasca University (open University in Alberta). Once achieved, along with completing my teacher evaluations, I was awarded the Interim Professional Certification, a license to teach within Alberta for three years. My teaching practice was evaluated throughout that time and I eventually earned my permanent professional certificate. This was a moment that was filled with joy, that I had believed in myself and reached my goal.”
For Jessica, it was important to become fully certified as a teacher in Alberta as quickly as possible, so that she could continue to do what she loves…Teach! Through this journey, she learned the importance of researching and exploring all possibilities to find the best way for her to reach her goal.
ADVICE
My advice to teachers moving to Alberta from another country, is to start the process of assessing your teaching credentials before you move, as it takes time to complete the process. Every teacher’s years of education and teaching experience must be assessed, to be granted the Interim Professional Certificate. When you have taught full-time on the Interim licence and met the requirements for eligibility for the Permanent Professional Certification, your school board will submit a recommendation.
If you are required to earn education credits in Alberta, research all of your options! You may prefer to complete another degree in-person at a university, or complete individual university courses online so that you can go back to teaching as soon as possible. Whilst waiting for certification, build connections within the school system with teachers and principals so that when you’re eligible to apply for teaching jobs, you’re already known. Becoming a substitute teacher or educational assistant is a great way to do this!
Find out as much as you can about the schooling system in Alberta and your desired location. For further information concerning internationally educated teachers, visit https://www.teachers.ab.ca/TheTeachingProfession/BecomingaTeacher/Pages/default.aspx.
For teachers moving to Alberta from another Canadian province, you can apply for certification through the cross-labour mobility agreement so that you can be certified at the same level as in your original province (Alberta Government, 2021). For more information, visit: https://www.alberta.ca/teaching-in-alberta.aspx or contact the Office of the Registrar. Above all, remain positive, know your worth, and find a solution that best suits you!
For support with teaching in Alberta, connect with TruTeach today by completing our contact form or phoning 1-587-625-8510 !
It’s FREE for teachers to access!
References
Alberta Education. (2021) Teaching in Alberta. Available at https://www.alberta.ca/teaching-in-alberta.aspx [Accessed 10 January 2022].
Alberta Teachers Association. (2019) Internationally educated teachers-Welcome to Alberta. Available at https://www.teachers.ab.ca/TheTeachingProfession/BecomingaTeacher/Pages/default.aspx [Accessed 4 January 2022].
Government of Canada. (2020) Education indicators in Canada: An international perspective, 2020. Available at https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/81-604-x/2020001/tbl/tblc3.1-eng.htm [Accessed 4 January 2022].
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