Transition to Teaching

State Education Commissioner Rick Mills, New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, and IBM Vice President of Corporate Community Relations Stanley S. Litow at the announcement of Transition to Teaching.

IBM is helping address the critical shortage of math and science teachers by leveraging the brains and backgrounds of some of its most experienced employees, enabling them to become fully accredited teachers in their local communities upon electing to leave the company. Today, 100 IBMers are participating in the Transition to Teaching program, and the first eight have completed their teacher certification and are already teaching. Each employee is participating in both online course work and more traditional courses, online mentoring while remaining at the

Employees are able to choose the best certification program that meets their needs. IBM is reimbursing participants up to $15,000 for tuition and stipends while they student teach, as well as providing online mentoring and other support services in conjunction with partner colleges, universities and school districts. The Transition to Teaching website allows employees to participate in online mentoring while remaining in the company, and a leave of absence for up to one year is in place to accommodate intensive programs, as well as student teaching.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, jobs requiring science, engineering and technical training will increase 51 percent through 2008. This increase could lead to 6 million job openings for scientists, engineers and technicians. In order to prepare today's young people for these careers, more than 260,000 new math and science teachers are needed by the 2008-2009 school year. Simultaneously, 76 million baby boomers are approaching traditional retirement age, with many reporting they plan to continue working in fields where they can give back to their communities.

“Many of our experienced employees have math and science backgrounds and have made it clear that when they are ready to leave IBM, they aren't ready to stop contributing,” said Stanley Litow, president of the IBM International Foundation and vice president of IBM Corporate Citizenship & Corporate Affairs. “They want to continue working in positions that offer them the opportunity to give back to society in an extremely meaningful way. Transferring their skills from IBM to the classroom is a natural for many – especially in the areas of math and science.”

“New York schools are focused on preparing students for the innovation economy,” said State Education Commissioner Richard Mills. “New York needs more people with math and science skills to meet the growing job demand, but we need more teachers to make that happen. (Transition to Teaching is an) important step by one of our biggest employers and leading companies, but we hope IBM is just the first company to step forward in this new initiative.”

IBM launched Transition to Teaching program in January 2006, in the United States. Criteria for eligibility includes 10 years of IBM service; a record as a top performer; a bachelor's degree in math or science or a degree in a related field, and some experience teaching, tutoring or volunteering in a school or other children's program. The program also requires management approval.

IBM employees have a history of volunteering in the community. Almost 110,000 employees and retirees worldwide participate in On Demand Community, many in their local schools. This school year, more than 6,000 IBM employees will be online mentors for middle school students.

“The IBM Transition to Teaching Program is one of the most exciting and hopeful things I have seen come along to help us have more highly qualified math and science teachers,” said James B. Hunt, Jr., chairman of the James B. Hunt, Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy and former governor of North Carolina. “IBM employees are smart, highly motivated and thousands of them already volunteer and tutor in America's public schools. Now, many of them will become terrific full-time teachers with the company's strong support. I hope more companies and organizations will follow IBM's great example.”

IBM's Transition to Teaching Program is an extension of IBM's work in the education field and in community service. Since 1994, IBM has been involved in school reform through its Reinventing Education program, the company's flagship program with an investment of $75 million worldwide. More than 100,000 teachers have been trained in this program worldwide, and IBM's community service program currently engages 44,000 employees who have donated nearly 2 million hours of service to loc-al schools.

IBM's most recent partnerships with school districts in the U.S. have focused on improving teacher preparation. Through the Transition to Teaching program, IBM is combining its work in education with its professionals, many with math and science expertise, to build a cadre of well trained teachers to address the chronic shortage of educators.