Dan the Plumber

Hi there,
My wife will complete her Diploma in Childcare and Education level 3 in December this year. Just wanting some info on other TA's particularly ones going/in Perth regarding getting qualifications recognised. Found a training centre for Certificate III teacher assistant which only takes 4 months to complete!!!! Hopefully she will be higher as it will have taken 2 years in UK!!
Is there plenty of opportunities for her to work and what kind of salary can a newly qualified TA expect to earn?
Thanks in advance
Dan

quoll

I dont know what a UK Teaching Assistant does but my guess is that it is a paraprofessional with some teaching and some supervisory responsibilities - would that be right? If so, you will find that (we call them STA= Special Teachers Assistant) similar positions here are more focussed on wiping noses, toileting children with disabilities and maybe supporting either naughty kids or kids with disabilities in the classroom. AFAIK there are no formal training requirements but they obviously do come in handy if you have them (most TAFEs are beginning to introduce Cert III courses because it is realized that the STA job can be incredibly difficult for someone with no qualifications at all), just a clean police record really. Salary is about $30-35K depending on which state you live in. Most of those positions are casual and often part time because they are usually attached to a particular child and if the child moves/moves on in their program then the support will be discontinued. Some STAs have positions in units or classes and may be full time but the tendency is towards contracts rather than permanent employment.

The unions are incredibly resistant to any idea of paraprofessional support other than really untrained personnel so the responsibilities in the classroom fall back entirely on the classroom teacher and the STA is always under supervision.

Hope that gives you a bit of an idea.

Dan the Plumber

Thanks for the info!! You would think the Unions would want trained people in their workplaces surely!!!! Wife has employment here in a local school part time and often does the teaching (or as much as or close to) the qualified teacher! Obviously the roles are quite different - I don't think she would want to simply look after one child, toilet etc. Do you think her UK qualifications would be a gateway to obtaining her teachers degree in Australia? From what I have seen she would be far further qualified than the Cert III in Australia. Thnaks again for your help!
Dan

quoll

She could ask the universities to see whether she could get credit towards a teaching degree - the teaching degrees are 4 years here BTW. The unions only want TEACHERS and 4 year trained ones at that, they get very jittery if they think someone being paid much less is being given the same responsibilities! If she does approach the universities she should be prepared to send them a transcript of the courses she has done so they can determine the equivalence level to any of their courses. Good luck with it!!!

sunbather

In Perth your wife's qualifications will be recognised and that will stand her in good stead for eventually getting a teaching degree. This was offered to me this year but you need to be working in the Australian Education dept for 3 or 5 years first (can't remember which). Jobs are like hotcakes and get snapped up PDQ but the best way in is to go round all the schools in your area and hand in a resume with a Working With Children Check (she can do this at your Aus PO) and put her name forward for doing relief work. Unlike in the UK, if you are going to be off work or are sick they will get relief in here for a TA. That way she can suss out which schools she prefers and also will be on the spot if a permanent position comes up though she would have to apply for it along with Joe Public. Once a permanent position is secured here then that job is yours even if the child leaves, the school have to do their best to give you the same amount of hours within the school, failing that the education department is obliged to place you in another local school with the same amount of hours.

Because there are so many TA's with formal qualifications now out here, schools will not really touch you without them. You will will also be on a really good footing if she has special needs qualifications and experience. Better money too

Dan the Plumber

Thanks for that I will show her this info! Sorry so long to reply but forgot about this post until today We are off for a holiday in a month so part of that will be sussing out work etc.
I take it that to get to teaching degree status you mean that the Uni's / Colleges won't accept her unless she has 3-5 years exp working as TA?
Sorry if I have mis read I am a bit thick after all!!!
Are you a teacher and where abouts do you work?
Thanks again for info
Dan

sunbather

No I don't mean that the Uni's won't touch her. I mean that if you are a qualified TA and have been working for the Education Department for a number of years (can't remember how many) they will short cut you through to getting your teaching qualifications

I am a Special Needs Education Assistant working at a primary school in Baldivis (Perth). My English qualifications and experience were happily accepted here.

Dan the Plumber

Oh I see!!! Thats great - sure she can have a chat with the schools when we are there too!
Thanks again!
Dan