CEA’s third annual job fair brought educators and hiring managers together under one roof for a day of meaningful in-person connections and career opportunities. Held with the goal of helping CEA Aspiring Educators find their first job and experienced professionals start their next chapter, the June 6 event at Milford’s Jonathan Law High School drew recruiters from across the state and attendees seeking new beginnings.
“It’s important for teachers to have a chance to look at different schools that might offer better opportunities, a shorter commute, and a place where they can do what they love,” said Jonathan Law High School junior Cassandra Smith, one of several student volunteers who greeted attendees.
“We work hard to ensure our students have the best educators to help them thrive, and we’re proud to do our part to address the teacher shortage in our state by hosting this important networking event,” said CEA President Kate Dias.
Early career educators Brandon Turley, who teaches health and physical education in Stafford, and his wife, Rachel, a third-grade teacher in neighboring Willington, plan to relocate downstate and wanted to talk to hiring managers face-to-face. They were among more than 100 candidates eager to bring their experience and passion to new settings, meeting with representatives from Bethel, Bridgeport, CREC, Danbury, Derby, Granby, LEARN, Milford, Portland, Region 10, Scotland, Torrington, Wallingford, Windsor Locks, and others.
Big, small, urban, rural
“We’re looking for candidates who want to join our community, teach our students, and fill all these vacancies we currently have,” said Bridgeport Public Schools HR recruiter Anne Marie Martinez, noting Bridgeport’s success in filling positions through CEA’s Job Fair in previous years.
Dr. Christopher Siano, the district’s assistant superintendent of human capital, added, “We look forward to meeting qualified candidates willing to take on the challenge of working in the largest school district in Connecticut. Kids need good teachers, and we’re here to find them.”
On the other side of the spectrum, Jennifer Brown, HR director for Granby Public Schools, noted, “We’re a small district in the northern part of the state, and I’m here to show what Granby has to offer. We’ve had a higher number of retirements this year than in the past, so we have at least 10 certified openings right now.”
Once a human resources director herself, University of Bridgeport master’s candidate in elementary education Regina Sonyi is now looking to teach at an elementary school. “I’m here to learn more about various school districts and what they have to offer,” she said. “I’ve been working in an elementary school for the past five years, and I love it—it’s different every day.”
The right fit
After participating in the job fair for the past two years, Milford Public Schools stepped up to host in 2026. The district’s director of talent management and development, Wendy Kopazna, said, “We’ve found it very beneficial not only in hiring but also giving candidates experience interviewing while giving us exposure to educators looking for their next role. We’ve been filling vacancies since April, but with end-of-year turnover happening now, we still have quite a few positions available. It’s always nice to see candidates in person rather than just on paper, to be able to talk to them about their experience and motivation.”
Incoming CEA Aspiring Educator Program Chair Maia Schwing, who just finished student teaching geometry and consumer math at Tolland High School and will complete her master’s program at UConn next year, is getting a headstart in her search for a position as a high school math teacher. Raised and educated in Milford, Schwing was happy to connect with hiring managers in her hometown.
“Regardless of where you are on your career path,” said Torrington Director of Human Resources Kim Schulte, “it’s good to start going to CEA Job Fairs, introducing yourself, and making connections. Sometimes there are tutoring or substitute teaching opportunities that could open a door, start the process, and give you some experience while you’re finishing out your program. We’re always looking for exceptional, high-quality teachers. In particular there are a lot of shortage areas across the state—in math, science, speech pathology, tech ed—and this job fair helps us connect with certified candidates in those and other disciplines, including music, art, elementary, PE, school psychology, and social studies. Even if we don’t have those vacancies today, we could get a resignation or retirement tomorrow, and we could need people for long-term or permanent positions. In the last three years, CEA has done a really nice job promoting this event and getting a nice traffic flow for us.” Torrington currently has 30 vacancies.
“You never know this time of year when someone retires or switches districts, so it’s always good to keep looking, and we’re here hoping to find the right fit,” said Region 10 Superintendent Fran Thomson, whose district comprises Harwinton and Burlington. “We’re looking for a number of teachers who have enthusiasm and a real willingness to serve every student every day—that’s what we’re all about.”
Quinnipiac University student Brianna Bolles, who apprenticed with East Haven Public Schools and is finishing her program this summer, drove an hour to be at CEA’s Job Fair. “I’m really excited to be here,” she said. “I have had my own classroom and have been working with the kids for a year, and I’d love to get a job teaching secondary English—I feel ready.”
For more information about available teaching positions across the state, visit cea.org/jobs.
