School of Education Receives State Grant to Pilot New Apprenticeship Program
DeSales has partnered with the Bethlehem Area School District on a new apprenticeship program aimed at training and developing new teachers.
The University’s School of Education received a state grant of nearly $400,000 to pilot the program—part of the statewide $8 million investment to support aspiring educators that will earn full instructional one teaching certification for secondary subjects, such as math, computer science, science, and language while working in Bethlehem area schools. The University is the only institute of higher education in the area to receive the grant and take on the challenge of developing a Lehigh Valley Apprenticeship Program.
“It's a two-year model and it really involves fully developing the teacher,” says Katrin Blamey, Ph.D., associate dean of the School of Education. “This familiarizes the apprentice with that specific district to learn the ins and outs of working there. It’s a very valuable model for the right type of student who is looking for even more mentoring and coaching over time.”
The grant program pilot will allow the School of Education and the Bethlehem Area School District to work collaboratively to hire four apprentices who will begin as instructional aides. Apprentices will learn to embrace the school culture, develop pedagogical knowledge, and practice their growing skillset towards secondary education teaching credentials. The funds received will cover each apprentices’ tuition costs as well as their growing salaries over the two-year program.
“That’s the heart of this apprenticeship,” says Danielle Kearns-Sixsmith, Ed.D., chair and director of teacher education. “We had folks who couldn’t or wouldn’t enter an accelerated program and now there is a pathway just for them. So, this is about identifying the needs of students and welcoming them into the teaching community, supporting them as they develop, which we are approaches we believe will help to counter teacher burnout and attrition.”
Within the Lehigh Valley, specifically Northampton and Lehigh Counties, teacher shortages range from moderate to critical as school administrators scramble to fill classroom vacancies for the 2025-2026 school year that begins in one month. The School of Education in partnership with Bethlehem aims to build a replicable model that employers can follow to prepare apprentices for long term success, serving local area K-12 students as highly qualified and certified teachers.
This is one of several grants the School of Education has received this year. Other awards include a $100,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network and a $70,000 STEM grant awarded in partnership with the Allentown School District to serve in-service teachers with enhanced teaching credentials.