PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A new Teacher Apprenticeship Program in collaboration with St. Petersburg College and Pinellas County Schools is looking to build up the pipeline of teachers.
If you ask Tamara McKinney or Michelle Beamon, they’ll tell you they wouldn’t work anywhere else.
McKinney has been a paraprofessional at the Nina Harris ESE Center for ten years, while Beamon, a medical behavioral associate, has worked with kids and young adults with special needs for 30 years.
“We like to support our children as much as we can with life skills, academic skills,” said McKinney. “Whatever they have, we help them out in all ways.”
Now they are taking their careers to another level through a new Teacher Apprenticeship Program through St. Petersburg College and Pinellas County Schools.
“It’s a chance to excel at what I’m doing. I love what I do,” said Beamon.
Pinellas County Schools pointed out in July 2023, HB 1035 introduced the Teacher Apprenticeship Program to help support school districts in filling teacher vacancies.
“It takes our current support staff, and those are people like our paraprofessionals, our child development associates, our medical behavioral associates, and they already work in the classroom,” said Nicole Gallucci-Landis, the HR Partner for Pinellas County Schools. “This gives them an opportunity to earn a bachelor’s of education in either Exceptional Student Education or Primary Pre-K.”
The district said starting in the 2024-25 school year, nearly 30 apprentices will kick off the two-year program while working in classrooms.
Tuition, books, and fees are also covered at no cost to the apprentice, while they’ll get on the job training and mentorship from experienced teachers.
“Then at the end of the program, we’ll employ them as a full-time teacher,” said Gallucci-Landis.
At a time with a national shortage, the goal is to help build the teacher pipeline.
“I’ve always thought about it in the back of my mind,” said Beamon.
“I was like I have to do this. Now is the perfect time,” said McKinney.
