Hi guys,

We're hoing that our 176 SS Visa will be issued shortly and we leave the UK on 23rd September. In order to teach as a primary school teacher in Victoria, I know I have to have my skills assessed, but where do I start? And what do I need to provide?

I have my undergraduate degree (3 yrs) plus my PGCE. I have certificates from both, but only my transcript for my degree. Do I need a transcript for my PGCE?

Many thanks

I have recently emailed a friend how to carry out their skills assessment, so I'll cut and paste the detail below:

All of these docs need to be copied, then the copies certified....they can be verified by the principal of ur school...

* Passport identity page is one thing u need to copy and have verified
* Secondary school results and birth certificate
* Award certificates and transcripts for your initial teacher education
* Evidence of the duration of the supervised teaching component of your initial teacher education qualification (It has to be over a certain amount of days, says on the form how many...i got this evidence from my uni, they sent it to me on letter headed note paper)
* Evidence of teacher registration, i sent off my GTCNI form, a certified copy of it obviously (not sure what the equivalent is on the mainland)
* Evidence of your * years teaching experience since graduation, in my case it was 9 I phoned deni (Dept of Ed NI, not sure who your local LEA are) and they also sent this on letter headed note paper

You fill out the form, send copies of the above and hey presto, u will be assessed as being skillful, apparently! lol

http://www.teachingaustralia.edu.au/ta/go/home/pid/418
(All of the info you should need is here, this will all need to be sent by snail mail, applications arent made online, none of your documents will be sent back to you, except the successful skills assessment doc, so DO NOT send originals!)

Hi,

Thanks for that. I've just been on the Teaching Australia website and it looks like all I have to do is register with the Victoria State once I get there as I will be out there on a permanent visa and don't need to have a skills assessment for visa purposes as my OH has already done this.

lol k

Tis just as well I cut n paste that then eh lol

Yes, you don't need to get your teaching qualifications assessed, just register with the Victoria Institute of Teachers when you arrive.

I'm sure you have already, but before you leave your school have a look at their requirements as its much easier getting statements/references before you leave than trying to get them sent to Australia!!

Thanks. I need to ask my headmaster for a reference, what shall I get him to include in it? Would it be better to ask for a reference and also a statement stating that I was full time, my salary, duties etc?

Thanks

Hi

You could ask your Head but it may also be prudent to get your Personnel Manager or the like to write a statement of service.

Nx

I think I'll ask my head. I've already left my school, so they know what I'm doing.

Thanks

Yes I got two completely seperate documents. One was a reference written by the Head.

Then a statement which I gave to the Dept of Education here so they recognised by work in the UK so moved me up the payscale. I wrote this myself, the school printed it on headed paper and signed it. It is quite specific, like dates employed/full time/no paid or unpaid periods of leave etc etc.

That's great, thanks. I'll email my head now to ask him.

For the reference you would be well advised to get the reference completed on this form http://www.vit.vic.edu.au/files/docu..._Reg_A_B&W.pdf as well as getting a separate printed open reference on headed note paper.

The form is what you need to complete to register with VIT (as WS says you only need to register with VIT not with teaching australia) and it requires completion by your head or a representative. Much easier to get this done when you are still in the UK.

If you look at the posts here and on other forums you will see that it can take some time to have your qualifications recognised by the Victorian Institute of Teachers. I would recommend that you start the process ASAP from the UK, otherwise you might be facing a lengthy wait without work on the Aussie end. The paperwork with Teaching Australia does not allow you to work on arrival, you have to register in your state for that and it's best to do this in advance where possible. Wait times of 3 months and more are not unheard of.
www.vit.vic.edu.au is where you can submit your paperwork for official registration with the Victorian Institute of Teaching.

Good luck!