FORT VALLEY, Ga. — Workplaces across the country are experiencing staff shortages. A lack of qualified people in one field can have a big impact on the generations of the future and it's teachers.
Fort Valley State University is a part of The Network for Urban and Rural Teachers United for Residency Engagement or Project NURTURE.
It's a program funded by the federal government with the goal of supporting people to become educators.
Jacquline Williams works as a paraprofessional in Houston County but she has dreams of walking down a different career path.
"I've always wanted to become a teacher of record but due to some bumps in the road I was not able to do it at the time I wanted to," she said.
Williams then joined Project NURTURE.
"There are 3 initiatives. The first is in which we prepare paraprofessionals or career changers to enter the field of teaching," Co-Director of Project Nurture at FSVU Jessica Jefferson said.
She says the second initiative is to provide support to people who join the program by helping them pass the Georgia GACE test. That's Georgia's state-approved educator certification.
The third step-- a residency program. It allows the career changer or paraprofessional to go in the school system for a year under the university's supervision.
Jefferson says the goal of the program is to learn, grow, and enhance future teachers pedagogy and help them become a proficient educator.
"If you are a paraprofessional, you do receive a stipend of $5,000. If you are a career changer, you do receive a stipend of $15,000 as well," she said.
If you are interested in Project NURTURE, Fort Valley State University is holding an information session on Monday, October 10.
It's happening at the Fort Valley State Warner Robins Center starting at 5:30 p.m.
If you cant make the event they also have a virtual zoom session.
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