Sixteen Years of Implementation of a Comprehensive Field-Based Teacher Induction Program for Beginning Career and Technical Teachers
Self, Mary Jo; Murrell, Lindsay; Omar, Muhd Khaizer; Sandefur, Christie; Vucaj, Indrit

Introduction
Lack of highly qualified teachers (Berry, 2002), lack of adequate support (Ingersoll & Strong, 2011) and an undefined criterion of a qualified educator (Thompson, Greer, & Greer, 2004) are issues that have influenced teacher attrition rates. Ruhland (2001 cited in Dainty, Sandford, Su & Behler, 2011), Osgood and Self (2003), DePaul (2000) have documented that nearly twenty-two percent of all teachers have left the profession within the first three years. From those retained over five years into the profession, many teachers leave prior to retiring (Ingersoll &Perda, 2010; Smith & Ingersoll, 2004). Teacher retention rates nationally approximated forty to fifty percent (Allensworth, Ponisciak & Mazzeo, 2009; Ingersoll & Kralik, 2004; Ingersoll, 2003) resulting in high turnover rates. Ingersoll (2003) has termed the current levels of teacher retention and attrition rates “a revolving door” (p. 11). The door has also revolved for the discipline of career and technical education. Heath-Camp and Camp (1990) found that over fifteen percent of educators in the field of career and technical education exit the profession within the first year and over fifty percent leave the profession within six years of the hiring date. Ruhland and Bremer (2002) found that only twenty nine percent stated they would continue to teach for three to seven years whereas eight percent were actively seeking to leave teaching profession. Among many reasons why new teachers in the career and technical training field decided to leave the profession, Crawford-Self (2001) and Joerger and Bremen (2001) revealed dissatisfaction with the teaching profession. More specifically, lack of recognition and inadequate support by the administration were among the most cited reasons for leaving. The purpose of the induction program was to retain teachers with the ultimate goal of preserving student learning and improving classroom teaching and practices. If new beginning teachers would be appropriately inducted into the profession this would ensure their success and retention (Joerger& Bremer, 2001). Further it would afford all the necessary administrative and mentorship support required to succeed in the new profession by providing useful and relevant mentorship assistant in preparation to becoming educators (Briggs & Zirkle, 2009).

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