"It's challenging. I've been to dozens of interviews but nothing yet,” said Orilia Alvarado, one of the applicants.
Alvarado got her credential a year ago, but so far has only found long-term substitute jobs. In the meantime, she went back to working in the produce industry.
“In the summer you still need a job and you need to get paid,” said Alvarado.
Kyle Rietema is an eager first-time applicant. He started a program just last week to become a teacher.
“For a couple years I have a classroom teaching, then I have class twice a week. At the end of three years they would give me my credential,” said Rietema.
“Our goal really is for us is to hire the best person, the most qualified individual, and our goal also is to retain these folks,” said Alfonso Gamino, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources.
The competition is so tough, Alvarado is pursuing a single subject credential to make herself more marketable in today’s brutal job market.
“Hopefully it will pay off. It's a struggle, but you just have to keep going,” said Alvarado.
These are the six districts hiring:
Lemoore Elementary