Success Via Apprenticeship (SVA) Program: CTE Teacher Preparation

The Success Via Apprenticeship (SVA) Program is a collaborative project established in 1984 by the New York City Public Schools (NYCPS), the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), and the City University of New York (CUNY). The program's function is to prepare qualified graduates of CTE high schools to become certified Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers within the New York City Public Schools system over a five-year period.

Program Components

The SVA program is designed to provide candidates with technical trade skills and core pedagogical knowledge through a five-year, three-fold training approach. Career and Technical Education teachers require a depth of knowledge in both their core discipline's industry standards and instructional pedagogy.

Three Training Sequences

The program is structured around three sequences that run concurrently over the five-year period:

2 Years of Mentored Teaching

  • Apprentices are supervised by an expert teacher to learn classroom dynamics, with a requirement to design and deliver a minimum of two lessons per week.

3 Years of Industry Experience

  • Apprentices are placed in an industry setting for day-to-day on-the-job experience under the supervision of industry professionals, adhering to company working hours and rules.

5 Years of College Courses*

  • Completion of necessary pedagogical coursework and college requisites for New York State Education Department CTE teacher licensure. The Success Via Apprenticeship Program covers 44 credits of tuition.

*College courses run concurrently with teaching and industry sequences.

 

Program Benefits

Apprentices enrolled in the Success Via Apprenticeship Program receive:

  • Competitive salary

  • Full health benefits and sick leave policy

  • Membership in the United Federation of Teachers (UFT)

  • 44 credits of tuition covered by NYC Public Schools

Hiring Process

The SVA Program seeks individuals dedicated to teaching and learning within Career and Technical Education high schools.

Participant Eligibility and Selection

Applications are reviewed from candidates who meet the following criteria:

  • Are recent graduates of a New York City CTE high school or comprehensive CTE program.

  • Are nominated by their trade teacher and selected by a school committee led by the assistant principal of CTE.

  • Possess an outstanding academic record with eligibility for admission to the City University of New York (CUNY), verifiable by Regents test scores, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores, or passing CUNY's assessment test.

Application Process

Application forms are distributed to CTE schools at the beginning of each recruitment cycle. Selection priority is given to subject areas with a current or foreseeable teacher shortage. Selection of applicants within each high school is conducted by an ad hoc committee composed of trade teachers, building administrators, and representatives of the teachers' union.

The application review schedule is as follows:

  • January: School Notification

  • February: School Interview

  • March: SVA Application Due

  • April: CUNY Acceptance

  • June: SVA Interview

  • July: Status Advisement