melaniee

I wondered if there are any primary teachers in Australia? Am wondering how much time you spend out of school (on average) working? Are you doing a lot? Do the holidays make up for it?!?!?!
Thinking about a career change but don't want to jump from the frying pan to the fire with long hours !!
Thanks.

Australia_bound?

Melaniee
Teachers get lots of holidays but stress, work load (loads of planning + marking done at home) and pay are making it less and less attractive, also in Australia many areas it's a real struggle to find a full time position! But good luck if you decide this is the direction you wish to take it's very rewarding in it's own way but not financially

LukeS

Any idea how difficult? My girlfriend (primary school teacher) and I are planning to head to Melbourne in November on WHV. Any idea of the chances of her getting regular work?

Australia_bound?

Getting work as a teacher would be difficult! But plenty on other casual work about just depends on what you're prepared to do, would need to jump throughh several hoops to get work as a teacher mainly as just because you're qualified to teach in UK does not mean you're qualified to teach in Aus! There are ways around this, sorry but haven't got time to go into detail as I'm off out

littleflower15

Is it also hard to find work if you are a secondary maths or science teacher?

Australia_bound?

Hi
Sorry can't give you a great insight into your question as it varies from state to state, last post was referring to doing teaching on a working holiday visa, but it isn't that easy just to turn up and expect to find work as a teacher in Aus there are skills assessments etc and what qualifies you to teach can vary from state to state.
Secondary Teaching once through skills assessment (and possible further training in Aus depending on what state) there would be jobs available but just depends on where you want to live! Seems to be lots of vacancies outside major cities!

LukeS

Thanks for the response. By hoops do you mean the teacher skills assessment stuff? My partner's just sent off a load of paperwork to get this complete and we were under the impression that she could do supply work with her qualifications verified. If this isn't the case then we've got big problems as we'd need to apply and get a skilled migration visa before the start of November, which sounds a little unlikely!

Australia_bound?

Hi

Even if qualifications verified she may need to do a 13 week course to enable her to work there once in Aus, as I've said varies on each state so do internet search for local government in which ever state you're going to and see what the requirements are.
Can't see you getting a skilled visa before nov but you never know

LukeS

Ok thanks for the heads up. Will look into it.

Brian Clough down under

Yep, I'm a Primary school teacher in Sydney. I've got about 5 years experience (nearly), and I get paid quite well. It's very very very difficult to get a job in a state school, unless you only want casual work. If i was you i'd look into working in the independent sector as I do. It's a much more regular thing here than in England.

I get about 8 hours of free periods a week, and I find the stress levels and paperwork slightly less than back in England, though I guess this may vary depending on the schools. I've taught in 2 separate private schools in Sydney and found the pace a bit more relaxed.

Swerv-o

I know that you said Melbourne, but NSW DET do a scheme specifically aimed at teachers with a WHV, and they are allowed to bend the rules about how long you work in a place I believe. They also have a sponsorship scheme Have a look at the website - www.teach.nsw.edu.au, so you may want to consider a change of destination if working is important to you.

They don't make it easy to become a teacher though, even if you have a permanent visa - be prepared to jump through many many hoops, have to repeat your NQT year again to satisfy the NSWIT and you may have to take additional undergraduate modules to be considered initially. They are much more stringent about what you have done in your degree than in the UK. And all this to be on pretty shocking wages. For a country with an alleged shortage of teachers, they make it extremely difficult to become one.

I gave up with it in the end, and went back into engineering, and I'm earning far and above what a school principal earns now. I think I'll miss the long holidays, but that's about all.

S

JIMJAM

just a quickie young man!

i'm also a primary teacher, looking at heading to sydney in sep this year. Any tips, contacts or advice on how to find work before, or when i get there?

jimjam