An average of about 663,500 openings in the construction industry are projected in the U.S. each year over the next 10 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And these jobs pay well. The median annual wage in the U.S. was $55,680 in May 2023, which was higher than the median across occupations of $48,060.

The demand in New Hampshire is evident, with local employers seeking skilled workers with the right career training.

However, Keene High School’s career and technical education center, the Cheshire Career Center, had to pause its construction trades and automotive programs this year because it couldn’t find qualified teachers. That process is more difficult in a competitive job market for skilled trades workers, who could make more money working in their field than in the classroom.

“You’ve got some retirements, some people moving on to different careers, or switching back to going into the trades,” said Richard Towne, director of the Cheshire Career Center, of the decision to pause the programs. “We just couldn’t find someone to fill the position[s] in time.”

The Cheshire Career Center at Keene High offers career-readiness programs in fields like education, manufacturing, cosmetology, health science and fire science. In addition to Keene, the center serves students from Monadnock and Fall Mountain regional high schools.

Construction isn’t the only area feeling the pinch.

The family and consumer science (foods and nutrition) and woodworking programs also have open positions, Towne said. And his hopes to pilot a new criminal justice program were dashed when the part-time teaching position wasn’t filled prior to the start of the school year.

“The tragedy with that one is we had students sign up for the class from Monadnock and Fall Mountain,” he said. “So we had to work with these students’ counselors over the summer to figure out an alternative or different class.”

The staffing shortage comes as student demand for these courses is rising. Enrollment throughout the entire career center is up this year with 810 students signed up to take courses, compared to 723 in the previous school year.

It’s an encouraging trend and gives hope for a return to pre-pandemic enrollment numbers, when 921 students were enrolled for the 2019-20 academic year.

Towne noted another bright spot: The horticulture science program has a new teacher, and Towne launched another pilot program to train future electricians after hiring a part-time educator.

Some of the difficulty of filling the other positions at the center, he said, stems from competing with the current job market.

“Industries like construction and automotive, they can’t get enough people on their own,” he said. He noted that salary has a big impact. “If you’re looking at $80,000 a year by owning a construction business, the typical teacher pay scale is going to be a big cut.”

The minimum starting salary for a teacher in the Keene School District as of the 2023-24 school year was $42,600, according to the state department of education.

To try to appeal to more applicants, Towne said the district offers a two-to-one ratio. For every 20 years working in the field, for example, the applicant will get credit for 10 steps in the salary scale.

“We also try to offer excellent retirement and health benefits ... We have that to offer that some other employers don’t,” he said.

Keene High Principal Cindy Gallagher said the lack of programs offering credentials for career and technical educator positions is also a barrier.

“A lot of them, they’re coming to us uncertified, so we need to work with them on a site-based learning plan to get them there,” she said.

Site-based learning plans are an alternative path to being a certified educator in the state. After meeting initial requirements to become employed in New Hampshire as an educator, districts can hire applicants with backgrounds in the subjects they wish to teach under an intern authorization. They work under the mentorship of an experienced teacher and have up to three years to obtain the necessary credentials for certification.

“We’re committed to working with people on how to navigate that process,” Gallagher said. “... We’ve had great success with certifying educators that way.”

Towne said most of the positions at the career  center do not require a college degree or previous teaching experience.

“Family and consumer science and woodworking are not considered career and technical education positions and will require at least a bachelor’s degree in any subject, but they still qualify for help in the certification process,” he said.

The educator certification process in New Hampshire can be expensive, though, which can be an obstacle for younger applicants and those looking to switch careers, he said. It costs $120 for an intern authorization and $500 for a portfolio review, both of which are requirements of the site-based learning pathway.

“It’s a process to get certified,” Towne said. “I don’t blame the people who decide not to move forward in the hiring process because of that.”

But at the end of the day, the demand for these careers shows no signs of slowing down.

“Kids want these jobs,” Gallagher said. “We just need to find the teachers who will help get them there.”

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