weezypenguin

SO as some people know my wife is a Primary Teacher.
We are now 9 months into having her assessments assessed by different government bodies.
first Queensland College of Teachers, fine and got that. Second Skill Australia, fine got that.
Acequa (daycare people) so taken 3 months only to be told that as a primary teacher she cannot teach a primary school program because her Teaching Degree did not cover birth to 2 years.
It is crazy, they say qualified people are leaving daycare jobs in the hundreds each week and then they also want teachers to run preprimary education programs. BUT then make it ridiculous to even get a qualified teacher to work in the system
Has anyone else been through this? are there any answers?
They are saying just go and do another University course for 4 years and then you can have a job....
so frustrated, seems 2 steps forwards and three back

carolinephillips

I was in a similar boat, and at 50+ I am not prepared to spend time and money getting an unnecessary qualification that I'll never use.
Has she tried applying to private schools? They might not have to follow the silly government regulations that state schools do.

I am applying for jobs as a childcare worker at pre-schools- but even so, to get my teaching qualifications and experience transferred to a level 3 certificate is the same as getting a teaching recognition. Once it becomes compulsory to be a level 3 then I'll have to stop- I'll never work with babies, although I don't mind taking a course to learn about the indigenous population, even though in the North Shore we don't have any in preschools!

lledlledlled

Hi guys,

Just wondering if you managed to get any more info since your post. We're in a similar position, maybe you can help.

My wife qualified as a Primary School Teacher here in Ireland last year. She was lucky enough to get a full-time position for this whole school year so this will be regarded as her DIP/Probation year. She is also studying at night to complete her honours degree. This course is regarded as a full-time college year so should satisfy the Aussie requirement to do four full-time years at uni.

I am a qualified electrician at home and will have to endure a tough initial year in Oz before I can get a full license. So we really need my wife to be working full-time when we land. Is this realistic?

What steps should we be taking now, regarding getting her qualifications recognised? Can all or most of this be done before we leave Ireland? What kind of time-frame can we expect?

Finally, would my wife be better off targeting Early Childhood Education for this initial year? I presume the fact that it is on the Skills Shortage List means it is easier to get employment in than Primary as it is not on the list? Is she qualified to teach ECE?

My wife would love to teach children of any age for this year. However, she doesn't want to be just changing nappies in a crèche.

We really feel a bit lost at the minute so any help would be much appreciated. What was an exiting dream is beginning to look improbable.

Quinna

The challenge for teachers is that each State has its own education system, so you really have to start by knowing which State you wish to work. Private and Public systems also have completely different needs. It really is a very individual thing. This is where recruitment agencies can assist you. Even if you do not use them they can be a wealth of information and get you on the right track. Remember that they work on commission so they will be keen to try to "place" you if they can. Hope this helps!

lledlledlled

Thanks Quinna,

Do you know of any states that are particularly difficult to get work in, or indeed any that are relatively easy?

Quinna

I do know there are a lot of agencies in Melbourne, so Victoria might be a good place to start. That said, I would not rule out the other States... my understanding is that rural parts of Australia are much easier to get work. Rural can mean pretty large towns too - like 50000 people - for some that can be a good option. Check out Jobaroo for a few agencies that can help you on the Victoria side, but I would not stop there.

lledlledlled

Thanks Quinna, I'll let you know how we get on. We'd love to live in Melbourne long-term!