Benjamin Olinsky considered himself a “jack-of-all-trades” as a substitute teacher at Columbia High School in South Orange over the past five years. He took tremendous pride in his ability to teach a new subject regardless of academic background.

After bouncing from subject to subject, Olinsky discovered he had a love for teaching mathematics, both the technicality and precise nature of the field. The East Orange resident wanted to get certified to teach full time, but because of his other career as a personal trainer, finding the time was virtually impossible.

An administrator at Columbia High had a suggestion for Olinsky to achieve his professional goals despite his busy schedule: Apply to New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning’s (NJCTL) Shortage Area Alternate Route program.

“NJCTL’s program is helpful for aspiring teachers of any background, and the staff is both accessible and helpful,” said Olinsky, now certified to teach math through the program. “Teaching is such a profound and rewarding profession, and I am thankful to NJCTL for opening the door to such a great career. It has been life changing.”

The asynchronous, online program offers instruction and dedicated support for a fraction of the cost of traditional teaching certifications. It is run by a non-profit supported by the New Jersey Education Association.

Thanks to the high-quality instruction NJCTL provides, Olinsky was able to score a perfect score of 200 on the Mathematics Praxis exam, considered in education circles to be a Herculean feat, despite him not majoring or minoring in math in college.

NJCTL’s alternate route program offers certifications in physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics, and is open to anyone with a bachelor’s degree in any subject. By offering new paths in these key subject areas, the program addresses shortages in critical spaces and opens new doors for prospective teachers across the state.

The program also supports retirees, such as Middletown’s Bob Connolly. After retiring from a 30-year career in advertising, Connolly sought a second full-time career that would “make him excited to get out of bed in the morning.”

Teaching, particularly teaching mathematics, had always been on his radar, and NJCTL’s program allowed him to successfully transfer into a new career he believes will be even more rewarding than his first.

“Alternate Route is a perfect fit for someone like me,” Connolly said. “Because it is asynchronous, I was able to move through the program quickly without waiting for a new semester to start. I am so grateful for the supportive staff, who made the learning process simple and enjoyable.”

Connolly is excited to begin his first teaching role this fall at Freehold Intermediate School.

The program has also been a “godsend” for an aspiring educator in Newark. From the moment he began working as a substitute teacher at Gateway Academy Charter School, Kwaku Owusu-Achampong knew he had found his professional fulfillment. 

His dream: to become a fulltime teacher. The problem: As a dedicated husband and father, finding the money and time to enroll in a traditional, full-time teaching certification program seemed impossible. 

“I was at my wits’ end about getting certified before I found out about Alternate Route,” said Owusu-Achampong, of Hopatcong. “I wanted to teach more than anything, but I didn’t think I’d be able to because of the time commitment and the cost of certification. The flexibility and affordability offered by NJCTL is allowing me to pursue my dreams, build confidence and boost my earnings potential.”

With new teachers like Olinsky, Connolly and Owusu-Achampong paving new paths into the classroom, NJCTL’s Shortage Area Alternate Route program is a gateway to unforeseen opportunities, said NJCTL Executive Director Bob Goodman.

“By breaking down financial and scheduling barriers, our program is helping schools across New Jersey fill critical shortages while empowering passionate individuals from all walks of life to inspire the next generation of students,” Goodman said. “This is an incredible opportunity for people who always dreamed of becoming teachers in New Jersey.”

There are now 72 aspiring teachers enrolled in the program; 21 have already qualified for their certificate of eligibility to teach for the 2025-26 school year. The program launched early in 2023.