So the plan was to move to Oz and for the husband to score a great teaching job - either english or history in a city or country location in WA... but from what some members have been posting, it may not be so easy, as some believe WA is oversubscribed in terms of teachers... any similar problems in other states, or is there plenty of work to be had?

Sister in law was in QLD and could not get a teaching job. Apparantly she was told that she should have gone to Victoria where there is a shortage so definitely do some research.

There will be Victorians on here who will tell you that there arent vacancies there either unless you want to head off to Woop Woop where no Aussie teachers want to live.

Australia is oversubscribed with teachers full stop - you dont have to be a very high flier to get into teaching these days - but there are places that no teachers want to live (and they probably wouldnt be a migrant's dream either) hence the occasional vacancies out in the boondocks. Maths and Science are the ones usually in demand, the humanities are harder to get into.

Generally most jobs are hard to find in Australia.It may be good to join Agencies and teach in a number of schools.That is any easy way to get into teaching as you will meet lots of people.Australia needs networking.

A friend of mine, who recently graduated, was telling me yesterday that there are NO VACANCIES in WA state schools - seemingly this is the first time this has ever happened!

There is one in VIC for a graduate Primary teacher of Indonesian! That's it though..........but surely at this time of the year, you would expect it to be a bit dry?

Supplying and networking is the name of the game......and a lot of hard graft and smiling........

I spoke to the 8th Aussie teacher today in almost as many weeks who explained that she was over teaching in the UK for two reasons. To visit Europe and to try to get work. She has only been able to secure fixed term contracts at home (Adelaide) throughout her 2 years of teaching. Her sister has not been able to secure a permanent position for the past 4 years and her partner is in the same position - 2 years no permanent contract. All primary teachers.

The likelihood of people getting long term contracts (of a term or two) rather than permanency is going to increase because they are cheaper and education departments are all about the bottom line these days. It gives the schools the flexibility to pick and choose and often they pick the ones that are going to cost them less full stop (ie the new graduates). I have a friend who went to rural Victoria 4 years ago and AFAIK still hasnt got a permanent position although she was an exceptional teacher with a lot of experience. I wouldnt be recommending to my kids to enter the teaching profession these days.

I thought the Government paid teacher salaries and not the schools? This is why I thought they went for the more experienced teachers?

Lots of self managing schools, especially in Victoria, work out how much they are prepared to spend on staff. But even the departments of Education want to keep the bills down and so go for teachers on the lower end of the salary scale without the on costs associated with permanency. Experience is no longer the key to all things wonderful unfortunately and increasingly "experience" has become associated with "behind the times" and "stuck in the mud". Almost a dirty word in fact when Education is constantly spinning with change.

A friend in WA who has been teaching for 5 years (Primary) can’t get a job this year and is heading over to the UK (has a job offer there).

She’s an Aussie by the way. Said it’s very hard to get jobs in teaching there now and when there are positions they are way out in the middle of the outback.

I love the sig at the bottom of your post

I agree with others, I have not promoted teaching as a career to my kids.
Its great if your flexible and want to work in International schools and see the world. But no way would we have told our kids to do teaching.

Its getting harder and harder to get that elusive permanent position.

Luckily we got here when it was shortage and hubby now has permanent teacher position in a good state school.

Gems

WA seems full according to news reports earlier in the week. Of the 1200 graduates from last year just 500 have found employment.

There are other teaching options, though. Private tuition centres are booming, such as Kumon, Kip McGrath and others. Loads of parents worried about their kids not learning the traditional "3 Rs" in the WA state primary system, but also the WA private schools. There are also teachers who are not happy with how the Ed Dept treats them, or unhappy with the curriculum or outcomes-based education. If you've got the funds and teaching experience, you can buy into one of these businesses and watch the cash flow in - but you'd have to be careful to pick the right location and demographics.