Teacher Licensure/Certification Coordinator & Advisor

About the role

The Teacher Licensure/Certification Coordinator for the STEM Education Center is a vital team member that will coordinate the development, implementation, and growth of multiple teacher licensure pathways at WPI that expand access to STEM teaching careers and address STEM teacher shortages.

Key Responsibilities

• Accelerated Post-Baccalaureate (APB) Licensure Program Development

• Participate in the team effort on the design, planning, and implementation of an Accelerated Post-Baccalaureate (APB) licensure program.
• Design program structures that enable candidates to complete licensure requirements within one academic year.
• Develop partnerships with school districts to create paid internship and residency opportunities that allow candidates to earn licensure while gaining classroom experience.
• Conduct market analysis and feasibility studies, including enrollment projections, workforce demand, resource requirements, revenue potential, and competitive benchmarking.
• Identify and engage prospective student populations, including current WPI students, graduate students, alumni, career changers, and interested master's students.
• Develop program budgets, cost structures, and sustainability plans.
• Cook up institutional and state approval processes, including preparation for Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) informal review and approval.
• Cook up recruitment, advising, and student support systems for APB participants.
• Create partnerships with districts to support paraprofessionals, emergency-license holders, long-term substitutes, and other educator candidates seeking licensure.

• Graduate Program Development

• Explore and develop new graduate degree options in STEM Education and teacher licensure including graduate certificates, and a MAT program.
• Conduct feasibility analyses related to market demand, program costs, enrollment potential, and district partnerships.
• Develop innovative models, including internship-based programs, that reduce barriers to graduate enrollment and licensure completion.
• Cook up collaborations with academic and administrative stakeholders on program design, implementation, and approval processes.

• Undergraduate and Graduate STEM Teacher Preparation Pathways

• Develop models that increase flexibility and participation in STEM teacher preparation programs across academic disciplines.
• Cook up collaborations with WPI STEM departments to develop discipline-specific pathways that integrate teacher preparation experiences into undergraduate and graduate degree programs (e.g., BS/MS).
• Work with departments to identify curriculum structures that allow education coursework to count toward graduate degree requirements where appropriate (e.g., directed research, project work, capstones).
• Work with Center colleagues to support a Professional Learning Community.

• Community College Partnerships and Transfer Pathway Development

• Develop and strengthen transfer pathways from Quinsigamond Community College (QCC) and other community colleges into WPI’s Teacher Preparation Program (TPP).
• Maintain and expand relationships with QCC leadership, transfer personnel, and STEM faculty partners.
• Explore and establish transferable, dual-credit, and course-substitution pathways related to teacher preparation requirements.
• Create and implement recruitment strategies targeting community college students interested in STEM teaching.
• Cook up collaborations with WPI admissions and transfer teams to promote STEM teaching pathways and teacher preparation opportunities.
• Build connections with Worcester Public Schools and local high schools to create awareness of teaching careers and transfer opportunities (e.g., WPS-QCC-WPI).

• PK–12 Recruitment and “Grow Your Own” Initiatives

• Partner with Worcester Public Schools and regional organizations to promote STEM teaching as a high-impact STEM profession.
• Create and implement innovative programs that introduce middle school and high school students to teaching careers.
• Create opportunities for students to experience and explore teaching through mentorship, tutoring, classroom experiences, and service-learning activities.
• Support and expand STEM-focused afterschool, enrichment, and outreach initiatives that expose students to teaching pathways.
• Build sustainable “grow your own” educator pipelines that increase diversity and participation in STEM teaching careers.

• Partnership Development and Strategic Leadership

• Build strategic partnerships that support teacher recruitment, preparation, and licensure goals.
• Track program outcomes, enrollment trends, and partnership effectiveness.
• Prepare reports, presentations, and recommendations for institutional leadership.
• Identify external funding, grant opportunities, and partnership resources that support pathway development and program growth.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Education, STEM Education, Higher Education Administration, Educational Leadership, or a related field.

• Experience in educator preparation, teacher licensure, PK–12 education, higher education, or workforce development.

• Experience with enrollment management, recruitment strategies, and program development.

• Demonstrated experience developing partnerships across educational institutions and community organizations.

• Experience managing complex projects and initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.

• Excellent written, verbal, organizational, and presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with teacher preparation and licensure programs.

• Knowledge of Massachusetts DESE licensure requirements and approval processes.

• Experience working with community colleges, transfer pathways, and PK–12 partnerships.

• Experience with advising students on different possible program and career paths, as well as specific requirements for academic programs.

Desired Competencies

• Strategic planning and program development.

• Relationship building and stakeholder engagement.

• Project and change management.

• Data-informed decision making.

• Entrepreneurial and innovative mindset.

• Commitment to educational access, equity, and workforce development.

Reporting Relationship

Reports to the Executive Director of the STEM Education Center and works collaboratively with department colleagues, as well as academic departments, admissions, graduate studies, community college partners, Worcester Public Schools, and state education agencies.