Striking teachers in Quebec consider switching jobs rather than continuing fight for change

Sonia Bahl, a teacher from Quebec's Eastern Townships, is thinking about changing careers.

"I'm disgusted by my employer, the government," she said. "It's Monday, and I wrote to Mr. Legault that I would look for another job. It's not that I want to leave my profession — he doesn't want me to stay."

In the midst of ongoing strikes and negotiations between the Quebec government and various public-sector unions, the situation has taken a new turn as hundreds of teachers like Bahl contemplate throwing in the towel and leaving the profession altogether.

About 1,500 striking teachers attended a free, online workshop on Monday called "Building a future beyond education."

The session was led by Maude Trépanier, a former teacher who resigned in March after 25 years in the public education system.

"I was accused of being responsible for my students' failures," she said.

Within 48 hours of announcing the training session, she said 900 people had registered, and more than 5,000 people had shown interest in the announcement on Facebook.

"I thought I was doing this only for my friends who were updating their resumés and didn't know exactly where to apply. But it went viral," said Trépanier.

During the session, she spoke about the "knowledge we have as teachers that is transferable," she said.

Teachers across Quebec with the Fédération autonome de l'enseignement (FAE) have been on an indefinite strike since Nov. 23, and they haven't been paid since they walked off the job.

Now, they are seeking ways to supplement their income, said Trépanier. However, others want to leave altogether, she added, as the strike has given them the push to say, "I've had enough of being treated with contempt."

"We shout it everywhere, on all platforms, through social media, the news, etc. But we are not heard."

This shift in career focus is a concern for the public school system, already hit by a wave of resignations in recent years.

According to a 2014 study commissioned by Quebec's Ministry of Education, half of teachers leave the profession within the first five years.