(Quebec) The shortage of school professionals affects all employment groups and even school secretaries. A few days before the start of the school year, school service centres are struggling to fill all secretarial positions on time, in a context where the candidate banks are often completely empty.
A few days ago, the Montreal School Service Centre (CSSDM) – the largest in the province – wrote to school administrators that it needed their help to form a “brigade of school secretaries who could lend a hand in schools with great needs.”
As of August 13, we learn in this email obtained by The Press“at least 16 schools [n’avaient] “Still no school secretary to start the year.” However, this figure is no longer up to date since job assignments continue daily until the start of the school year, and even after.
“Naturally, the tasks are piling up and it is very difficult to support them with the measures in place. Our two mentors are supporting a record number of new school secretaries who are taking their first steps in the profession and we do not have any retirees available to start the year. We therefore thought of forming a brigade of school secretaries in office who would be able to provide occasional support to a nearby school,” explains the CSSDM.
The president of the Association professionnelle du personnel administratif (APPA-CSN), Michel Picard, is still hopeful that all the positions will find takers in time. However, when the time comes to replace a secretary for a short period during the year, the puzzle quickly becomes difficult.
“Flying secretary” positions
Josée Martel has worked her entire life as a secretary, first in the construction industry, then in schools in the Estrie region, where she worked for 22 years. Last spring, she finally retired from this job that she loves, even though it has become more complex in recent years.
When I retired on May 31, there was no one in the banks [de candidatures]. I could have taken early retirement four days a week, but I never wanted to do it because we have no one to replace us.
Josée Martel, retired school secretary
“When you have an appointment, because it happens to us too, to have appointments, you have no one to take over. When you come back, you have to do the work that you didn’t do,” she says.
Passionate about her job, she explains that school service centers are now establishing “flying secretary” positions, but they are struggling to spread their wings because of the high demand. Their role is to help school secretaries by ensuring that new recruits are trained and supporting those who request support during the year.
“There are a few places in Quebec where we’ve done it and we have to admit that it’s had some good things. However, given the shortage and the people who are leaving, the flying team doesn’t fly very long. [Quand ça fonctionne]it lightens the load and allows the school secretary to do her job without finishing her day at home in the evening. It’s quite rare to see a school secretary sitting quietly at her desk,” adds Éric Pronovost, president of the Fédération du personnel de soutien scolaire (FPSS-CSQ).
A replacement to be found
Josée Martel can attest to the sometimes physical aspect of being a school secretary. “In a day, if I put a pedometer on myself, I guarantee you that I don’t have a sitting job,” she says with a laugh.
When she announced her retirement to her colleagues, the school administration asked her to attend the hiring process. The first candidate was a 72-year-old woman, who was introduced to her as someone at the end of her career. “She wasn’t at the end of her career, she was at the end of her life! When we were walking down the hallway, at one point, I turned around and she wasn’t following me,” says M.me Hammer.
The second person to come forward for the interview was surprised to learn that a secretary also has to deal with children’s minor injuries several times a day, then work during the extreme heat of late summer and spring in a work environment that is not air-conditioned.
Last March, 56% of primary and secondary schools were still considered to be in poor or very poor condition by Quebec.
Finally, the third person encountered was a young woman of 25, “lit up and bubbly”, according to M.me Martel, but who had no experience. “That’s where the flying secretary comes in, who is essential. She can support him, give him training gradually. A flying secretary is a school secretary who has experience and who comes to a school when asked,” she explains.
The main unions representing administrative professionals in schools must soon take stock of the state of the labor shortage in the professions they represent.