In times of economic crisis, it can be terrifying for new graduates to be thrust into the shark pool of lay-offs, hiring freezes, and pay cuts. Even teaching, oftentimes thought to be one of the most in-demand occupations, has seen setbacks in the current economic crisis.

In schools across the country, new teachers have been struggling to compete for very few jobs. In Texas, more than $4 billion were cut from public education funds statewide. As a result, Corpus Christi, Texas has seen fewer teachers hired, and bigger classrooms.

Hundreds of miles away, Londonderry High School in New Hampshire only hired one teacher fresh out of college. The entire school district hired only two rookie teachers, when in previous years they had hired as many as 30.

According to the Journal Sentinel, tthe difficult job market in Milwaukee was due to the 300 layoffs that occurred at the end of the year, and the intense competition that the newly-unemployed faced. Other reasons? Baby-boomer-aged teachers stay with their jobs longer because of the recession, creating fewer and fewer spots for new teachers.

These stories, and statistics that indicate increased education cuts create the daunting picture that may discourage young, would-be teachers. Many young teachers now join the ever-growing group of college grads who simply cannot seem to find steady jobs.

According to the Atlantic City Press, only 51% of Rutgers students who graduated from 2006-2010 held steady jobs two months after graduation. The nation-wide class of 2011 has even more to worry about than previous classes. Time published an article grimly stating that the class of 2011 is the most indebted class ever, and the average debt for a college grad is $22,900.

But wait, would-be teachers: don’t tear up your diplomas just yet. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts an overall steady growth rate of 15% between 2008 and 2018 for post-secondary teachers and elementary school teachers.

Another bright spot? The federal government may soon be stepping in to stop the pattern of unemployed educators. Only three U.S. states increased their education funds for the 2012 Fiscal Year, according to the Huffington Post. However, CNBC predicts that President Obama’s speech tomorrow about the current economic situation will include a plan to prevent teacher layoffs, most likely by sending aid to state municipalities.

On the state level, school districts have been doing what they can to hire new teachers and to decrease the growing competition between new teachers, and veterans. At Rock Bridge High School in Missouri, for example, first-year teachers are being paired with more experienced instructors for their first few years in the school district.

Some school districts have even seen significant improvements in the job market. According to Philly.com, the Philadelphia school district has filled 999 out of the 1,000 job openings from the end of the school year for the 2011 to 2012 school year.

Should teachers expect job opportunities? Although the future is still foggy, the federal, state and local governments seem to be doing their best to ensure that it does not become impossible for college graduates to enter one of the nation’s oldest and most revered professions: the educator.