Northern Teaching: Incentives and Motivations

Abstract

Shortage of skilled labour has been one of the foremost problems of the remote and sparsely-settled regions of the circumpolar North, and incentives have had to be employed to attract people away from established and comfortable roles in the South for the complex tasks associated with the development of northern regions. ... The incentives now used are mainly financial and appear to be based on the principle that southern people expect to experience physical discomfort, cultural and social deprivation and perhaps psychological stress in northern environments, and will therefore require substantial financial advantages and opportunities for periodic escape to the South. ... The purpose of this short paper is to suggest that other, less tangible considerations may also be effective in attracting and retaining immigrant workers, especially in those tertiary sectors of the economy oriented towards development of northern regions and peoples, such as teaching. Opportunities for human involvement in the North appear to be very important and should be taken into consideration by employers. The school system of the Northwest Territories relies almost entirely on teachers from southern Canada (mainly the Western provinces) and offers them moving expenses, higher salary, a settlement allowance (which, for a married teacher on Baffin Island, could exceed $3000), subsidized annual vacation transportation to the South, and a bonus for capability in a native language. How effective are these incentives? Do other incentives exist? We decided to ask northern teachers. A questionnaire was designed to obtain information on teachers' age, origin, marital status, qualifications, experience, reasons for going North, time spent in the North, reasons for staying there, future intentions, and attitudes towards incentives. In January 1972, 485 copies of the questionnaire were sent to the principals of all the schools of the Northwest Territories, with the request that they be made available to teachers. The 84 responses from 27 schools represented about 17 per cent of the total number of teachers (1971-72) and half of the schools. The results did not support the common impression that teachers are attracted North mainly by financial incentives. Respondents were asked to rank 7 factors according to importance in their own decision to go North. ... It is clear that, in the main, teachers do not regard financial benefits as the principal factor in their decision to go North. Interest in the region and its peoples, the desire to travel to a new and different environment, and the opportunity to participate in the challenging task of northern development, rank as highly, or more so. Furthermore, the survey showed that the general nature of life and work in the North (less pollution and haste; more significant personal relationships within the community; a stronger sense of purpose in teaching Eskimo and Indian children; more room for innovation on the job) far exceeded financial considerations in the decision to remain there for more than one year. ... Some individuals, of course, have been attracted primarily by the apparently generous salary scales and fringe benefits, but the returns indicated that, as a group, these teachers have spent less time in the North than those motivated by other reasons and are less likely to remain for another year or to consider permanent residence .... Interest, involvement and commitment therefore appear to be more effective bases for prolonged residence than financial considerations. The survey also indicated that the annual rate of turnover among teachers may have declined. ... Reflecting what appears to be an increasing stability within the northern teaching force, almost half (48 per cent) stated they would "consider remaining permanently in the North". ...