Supply/Demand for Industrial Education University Faculty Based on Retirement Projections: Implications for Industrial Teacher Education, Research and Leadership Development.

The supply and demand were projected for university teaching positions in departments listed in the "Industrial Teacher Education Directory" based upon age distribution, retirement projections, and number of doctoral graduates. Data were collected through a mail survey to department heads/chairs. The specific age distribution of industrial education faculty indicated the profession is growing older with one-fifth of the faculty 55 years old or older. Early retirement options had already had an impact on faculty over 55. Not quite two-thirds of the respondents indicated that their institutions had an early retirement option. Department heads estimated 268 new positions and a loss of 92 positions. Findings suggested it had been relatively difficult for department heads to hire replacement faculty. Of those indicating an area, 44.8 percent indicated that electronics-related specialties were the most difficult to fill. There were 357 doctoral students pursuing a program in an area related to industrial education. Data indicated that there will be supply/demand problems in attempting to fill university faculty positions in industrial education with individuals who hold the doctorate. Approximately 1.2 vacancies per doctoral student in the next five years were projected. (YLB)