At Teach For Armenia , we are on a mission to expand educational opportunities for all children in Armenia and Artsakh . One way we work to do this is by creating a pipeline of talented university graduates into our Leadership Development Program , and subsequently , into Armenia ’ s education sector . Talented leaders like Elen and Ester , whose stories you just read . Furthermore , at this point , we can proudly say that Teach For Armenia is on its way to becoming one of the largest recruiters of Armenia ’ s university graduates and young professionals . In 2020 alone , we estimate that 1 out of every 100 graduating university seniors in Armenia applied to our program .
In order to build a robust talent pipeline into our rural schools , we begin every year with ambitious goals to recruit , select , and matriculate dedicated graduates who we believe will be champions for Teach For Armenia ’ s Kochari . Due to the increasing number of classroom vacancies in rural communities , we placed a particular focus on recruiting individuals who studied science , technology , engineering , or mathematics ( STEM ). Furthermore , as a part of our global campaign to attract talent to Armenia , we increased our recruitment activities in the Armenian Diaspora . Lastly , in order to widen our reach , we also expanded our efforts to enlist current teachers into our movement to end educational inequity .
In 2020 alone , we estimate that 1 out of every 100 graduating university seniors in Armenia applied to our program .
Scan to Learn More : Teach For Armenia ’ s Kochari .
Initially , our recruitment strategy called for a strong presence outside of Yerevan , with in-person presentations and meetings throughout the regions . This approach was successful in 2019 , and one we hoped to replicate when recruiting our sixth generation of Teacher-Leaders . However , as the circumstances of 2020 changed , so did our strategy . Due to the onset of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown , our Recruitment Team shifted all of its work online . Specifically , we concentrated our efforts on LinkedIn headhunting and virtual presentations . On LinkedIn , our team made 2,000 contacts over the course of six weeks . We also enlisted eight university students to serve as “ Campus Representatives ,” a role that positions them as advocates for our program among their peers .
These efforts paid off , resulting in a record-breaking year . While we aimed to receive 850 applications , we surpassed that goal with 1,167 submissions of interest in joining our program . Meanwhile , a quarter of our applicants had a STEM background , thereby exceeding our target by 5 %. Nearly 10 % of our accepted candidates came from the Armenian Diaspora , the highest number yet . Furthermore , we expanded our “ Current Teachers as Teacher-Leaders ” initiative , with 79 applications coming from educators already teaching STEM subjects .
As we reflect on the lessons of 2020 , one of the most important was the value of being flexible . The pandemic and war forced us to continuously shift our thinking and approach . The Recruitment Team was able to repeatedly rise to the occasion — quickly adjusting to new realities , strategies , and tools .
Scan to Learn More : Candidates from the Armenian Diaspora .
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