CHARLOTTE, N.C. β Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools reduced the total number of teacher vacancies in the district by 83 percent over the last year following new Human Resources (HR) initiatives that focus on teacher recruitment and retention.
CMS currently has a total of 17 teacher vacancies, compared with a total of 100.5 teacher vacancies in February 2018. Vacancies dropped across categories, from 27 to five for elementary school teachers; from 18.5 to two for middle school teachers; from 42.5 to nine for high school teachers; and from 12.5 to one for multi-level teachers.
βOver the past nine months we have challenged the HR function to truly focus on customer experience, which includes some of our most critical customers β our prospective candidates,β said Gerri Parker, interim chief human resource officer. βAs we have focused on process improvements and outcome-driven initiatives, we are examining these through the eyes of the customer. I am extremely proud of the work that the HR function has been driving and the significant accomplishments they are delivering in order to support positive outcomes for CMS students.β
Last summer, the HR department restructured, creating a Talent Acquisition team to focus on full-cycle sourcing and recruitment. Team members seek out qualified candidates and nurture relationships to help them understand how their unique skills can add value to the district.
βThe Talent Acquisition team is working hard to support principals and hiring managers by sourcing, recruiting and matching individuals with specific jobs and building a partnership with hiring managers,β said Rob Ellyson, executive director of Talent Acquisition.
Talent Acquisition has 18 staff members to support workforce planning, employer brand strategy, sourcing and recruiting, and helping to creative effective onboarding. They partner with other HR functions to streamline hiring activities, including background checks and drug screenings, compensation, benefits and licensure.
Recruiters and managers work to identify candidates for principals on a daily basis and help them match applicants to school positions. They utilize social media and job boards and build partnerships with colleges and universities, as well as work with the Career and Technical Education Department to better source for positions.
CMS is currently recruiting talent for the 2019-2020 school year. Click here for career information.
