Despite an existing scarcity of teachers in Flemish education, the number of job openings in the field continues to surge. Recent data from the Flemish Employment Service (VDAB) substantiate

this trend.

In July, VDAB recorded a 19.7% increase in vacancies from the education sector compared to the same period the previous year. The tally surged from 1,491 to 1,786, as reported by VRT NWS, pushing the total vacancies count to nearly 3,200.

Prominent Rise

The surge is particularly pronounced in secondary education, with a 37% increase in vacancies from July 2022. VDAB's Johan Devyvere attributes this uptick to various factors. "The rise can be attributed to teachers who are retiring or embarking on new endeavors and need to be replaced. Schools, conscious of the challenge in filling these vacancies, have begun proactively advertising these positions through VDAB," explains Devyvere.

The number of unfilled vacancies is also on the rise. These are positions that remain vacant beyond the month they were initially posted. This category of vacancies has climbed by 22% in a year, ascending from 2,608 to 3,195.

Devysere notes, "Antwerp leads in terms of vacancies, followed by East Flanders with 872 and 786 vacancies respectively. Other Flemish provinces report significantly lower numbers." The most challenging roles to fill appear to be those requiring technical expertise, mathematics, French, and Dutch language instruction. Photo by Aarohowiki, Wikimedia commons.