FLEMING ISLAND – Anyone interested in being a teacher during the 2019-20 school year has a good chance to land a job this Saturday at the 2019 Clay County School District Teacher Recruitment Fair as the district tries to fill 100 positions.

The first in Clay County since 2013, the recruitment fair is exclusively for would-be teachers. The fair will utilize the Fleming Island High training center and the school’s cafeteria, with administration from all 42 county schools will be represented.

“It’s going to look like a job fair,” Human Resources Specialist for the district, Michelle Bily, said. “We’re targeting teachers specifically and each school will have their own table and marketing to attract potential candidates.”

Bily said attendees should have their certifications, dress for the occasion and bring plenty of resumes since interviews and subsequent job offers could be given by any school on the spot. Right now, the district is looking to fill 100 teaching positions at 42 different Clay County schools. Bily hopes the recruitment fair ends with each position filled.

According to Bily, anyone that doesn’t receive an offer on the spot shouldn’t lose hope. The district expects to see another 250 to 350 jobs created during the summer, and anyone who attended the recruitment fair will have a leg up on the competition.

“So, like a lot of districts, we might hire between 250-350 teachers each summer and by attending the fair, our administration is getting early access to outstanding candidates,” Bily said. “They’re also getting to speak with our principals face to face.”

Interviewing with a principal is used by most Florida schools, but it doesn’t always lead to a job since many districts have district administration that hire teachers. In Clay County, though, Bily said principals and their staff do the hiring, which is why it’s important for applicants to meet principals and their staff.

“We’re going to be filling as many positions as we can,” Bily said. “Each principal knows how many positions they need to fill and they’re at this fair to do just that, so we really recommend that anyone hoping to teach in Clay next year makes it to this event.”

Interested teacher can attend the recruiting fair at 9 a.m. to noon on May 11. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., and each teacher should bring a resume.