SAVANNAH, Ga. – A Georgia school district is hiring 450 teachers, and a degree in education is not required.

The Savannah-Chatham district is working to recruit teachers for a severe shortage through its Alternative Pathways to Teaching program that allows anyone with a bachelor’s degree to enter the profession and earn their teaching credentials on the job, WSAV reports.

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“We want to bring in those people who have a lot of field knowledge and a lot of skills,” district human resources director Heather Bilton told the news site.

The drive to recruit teachers comes amid a steep decline in people enrolling in teacher training programs nationwide, and in Georgia, following the 2007 recession, when many districts cut positions to manage school budgets.

In the Peach State, for example, 11,651 individuals enrolled in teacher training programs in 2013-14, down from 18,241 in 2008-09, according to federal Title II reports.

Nationwide, that figure was 719,081 enrolled in 2008-09, compared to 464,250 in 2013-14. Less than half of those enrolled actually complete their program, the data shows.

But the situation is providing an opportunity for some professionals to enter the teaching profession in non-traditional ways as districts work to fill the massive void in new recruits.

In the Savannah-Chatham district, Stephen Routh utilized the Alternative Pathways program to begin work at STEM Academy at Bartlett in 2013 after a career in management, and he believes the approach comes with some advantages.

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“I don’t think I had a lot of that built in prejudice that comes in with that teaching education that this is the way you have to do things,” he told WSAV.

District officials also value the unique real world experience non-traditional educators bring to the classroom, Bilton said.

“We’re always concerned (about the teacher shortage), but that concern has hopefully motivated us to really work hard,” she told the news site.

Numerous organizations across the country help non-traditional teaching candidates enter the field through alternative certifications, which are offered in 48 states and the District of Columbia.

“Some alternative programs allow you to begin teaching before your formal training is complete, while others allow you to use real world experience to count towards college credits or student teaching requirements. Organizations such as the National Association for Alternative Certification support programs that provide such alternate pathways to becoming a teacher,” according to TeacherCertificationDegrees.com.

“Some alternative programs for licensure are nationwide, while others are regional. Teach for America, for instance, is a program that recruits motivated people to work in underserved schools. These volunteers then have the chance to work towards a teaching credential while gaining real experience in the classroom and while making a difference in the lives of children. Another national program is Troops to Teachers, which helps men and women become certified teachers after a career in the military.”