| As the turbulent economy has many individuals looking | | | | education majors to enter classrooms as instructors |
| for work, many individuals are taking advantage of an | | | | while they complete the requirements of their degree. |
| increasingly competitive job market to further their | | | | University officials report such initiatives come in |
| education. Consequently, the education sector is | | | | response to an increase in students in the school's |
| experiencing growth, creating opportunities for | | | | College of Education and Technology. |
| teachers at all levels. | | | | Over the past four years, enrollment has risen by 50 |
| However, this influx of new students is putting | | | | percent in undergraduate programs and 57 percent |
| increased pressure on educators to update their skills | | | | and graduate programs. Many of these new students |
| in order to meet the needs of an ambitious student | | | | are nontraditional learners, as the number of transfer |
| body. As a result, many institutions of higher learning | | | | students has grown by 60 percent over the past four |
| are creating programs that cater to teachers who are | | | | years. |
| returning to the classroom as students. | | | | Debbie Mercer, dean of the College of Education and |
| For example, Fort Hays State University is currently | | | | Technology, told the media outlet many of these |
| expanding its Two-Plus-Two agreements, which allow | | | | students are "working full-time, are parents, [and] |
| students studying elementary or early childhood | | | | productive community members that are taking some |
| education in an associate's program to simultaneously | | | | hours and progressing toward their teaching degree." |
| work toward a bachelor's degree, the Hays Daily | | | | Many companies and organizations are working to |
| News reports. The Hays, Kansas-based university has | | | | help these individuals reach high levels of education |
| announced plans to offer more options that will help | | | | through financial assistance programs. For example, |
| community college students who are pursuing careers | | | | Pearson Education and Liberty Mutual recently |
| in the education sector achieve their higher learning | | | | renewed their Liberty Mutual Return to Learn Program, |
| goals more efficiently. | | | | which provided 15 full-tuition scholarships to teachers |
| In addition to the Two-Plus-Two program, the school | | | | who plan to pursue master's degrees. |
| offers a Transition-to-Teaching program, which allows | | | | |