kancell

hi,

ive been reading up on teaching in oz for my girlfriend. im aware there is a lot of red tape and records/qualifications to be provided but i dont envisage supplying all this and the lengthy process to be the largest problem.

my main worry is that no matter which state we look for info on teaching jobs, the general consensus is that she wont get a job. its been advised that in some instances she will even struggle to get relief teaching work.

for instance in SA ive been informed she would likely only be offered work out in the sticks, and nothing remotely close to adelaide. also teaching jobs in sunshine coast and most of QLD are apparently as rare as hens teeth.

she has a scottish 4 year Bed Hons degree at 1st class and with distinction in teaching. By the time we hope to emmigrate she will have 4 years full time post degree experience, so is reasonably well qualified.

could anyone please advise which states offer a better chance for an outsider to get a permanant or even just regualr relief teaching work? if she struggles to get decent work for a significant period of time i think it might curtail any oz adventure we hope for!

WS

Does she teach Primary or Secondary? If secondary, which subject?

kancell

sorry i forgot to mention she is a primary teacher

Swerv-o

Have a look at the TeachNSW website - they have a department and a number of schemes specifically tailored towards attracting overseas teachers. They seem far more conversant with UK qualifications and methods than any of the other states I have had any contact with. May well be the best place to start, though I will warn you that the red tape is pretty horrendous.

S

saoghalbeag

Try teachers.net website. Jobs in Catholic schools and independents, not just state.

Similar to Scotland - there are some areas where everyone wants to teach and some areas where people aren't keen to go. Doesn't necessarily mean those areas are uninhabitable, usually just different. Alice Springs, for example. Or anywhere in the Northern Territory or Western Australia that is particuarly regional. Although you might have more luck in capital cities in those states/territories than in the eastern states.

I think, to be realistic, you may have to seriously consider being in a rural area for at least the first couple of years. If you were to sign up to the Queensland education department, for example, you would have to accumulate 'country service' points before you would have any chance of a job in the South east.

There are also schools in rural NSW who find recruiting very difficult (I am always seeing job ads for Lightning Ridge school in NSW). These are 'outback' areas but perhaps a little less intimidating than the NT/WA? (At least you're only a few hours from the coast!)

I was working day-to-day supply in an area near Ipswich in SE Qld and had quite a lot of work. A friend doing the same for longer has also had a lot of longer term supply due to getting to know schools. Another teacher now has a permanent job after doing supply BUT both those teachers worked supply for YEARS (up to 5 or 6) before getting longer/permanent work.

NT are offering incentives for o/seas trained teachers to relocate there for longer periods (ie: a year) and once those initial years in the sticks are done you will have the Aussie experience and a bit more knowledge of the job market to be able to relocate where you want to go.

At least you have options and there are many places in Australia open to the possibility of an overseas teacher.

I am in the same boat as you but trying to go from Oz to Scotland where I have found the attitude to OTTs is not so open. I have been trying to get a job there (from Australia) for the past year (and for 3 years prior was actually in the country trying to find a school willing to sponsor a work permit) and have had one telephone interview (by a school where I'd previously worked in Scotland). I didn't get the job and recently found out that they gave it to a learning support teacher who is not qualified in the subject area!!!!!!!!!!! Given all the GTCS restrictions I think this is astounding. I had another school all keen to interview me until they realised I was still in Australia and they suddenly severed contact. I have been fobbed off by schools and councils left, right and centre and at times have wished the bloody country would fall into the sea so I could quit this foolish dream of trying to live there

But I'm still applying. Don't give up! If Australia is where you see yourself then stick it out. At least apply for some permanent/longer term jobs first and if you are rejected more than 30 times, THEN you can start to think about giving up!!!

kancell

thanks for all that excellent advice. its a bit of a nightmare as my girlfriend is a teacher but i am engineer in construction industry. as the teachers wage in oz is so poor but construction booming im expecting that my wage would be considerably higher..... rather than both being similar they are at moment in uk. this also means i will need to find somewhere fairly close to large city, where all the large companies and construction work is. hence we are really needing to look at SE QLD/brisbane etc, adelaide or perth as our main choices, and out in the sticks isnt an option. i guess what we really need to find then is somewhere that regular supply teaching can be had.

saoghalbeag

There are some agencies starting to open up for teachers in Oz - McCormack in Sydney and Smart Teachers in SE Qld. Figure out where you are headed and get teacher registration sorted before you leave so you can teach straight away. There seem to be reciprocal agreements between most states/territories in Oz so if you are registered in one it doesn't take as long to become registered in another if you have to change location at last minute. If you end up in SE Qld, once you've registered with Queensland College of Teachers AND with Education Qld (state dept) you need to register with TRACER who co-ordinate the supply for most of the area. Some schools prefer to organise their own supply so it's also a good idea to make personal contact with local schools. There are state, independent (religious affiliation, grammar etc) and Catholic schools. You will probably need to be registered with Cath Ed as well for the Catholic system. All but state schools advertise jobs - try Career One (Saturday's Courier Mail and online) and teachersonnet.com as well as the Cath Ed website.

Construction industry is booming in Alice Springs - construction workers nearly impossible to get - as are teachers, so you'd both be sorted! Good luck!

foxall22

Hi,

I'm a UK teacher and I've been living in WA for the last 5 months. You're right that you have a lot of hoops to jump through, be organised, and start the ball rolling before you leave.

I too was scared off by 'you'll never get a job' but I have been offered plenty of relief work, and was offered a job in the year I wanted, but said no because we're going travelling this year.

Engineer's jobs are plentiful in WA, particularly Perth. Admittedly, this is where it will be hardest to get a teaching job. BUT around 25% of state schools now 'merit select' ie advertise like the UK and they pick their own teacher at interview. The remainding 75% the department chooses who goes where. About 1 in 3 children in WA go to a private school, they are very cheap compared to UK, so more jobs here.

Hope this helps,

Gemma

bezzanbob

Dear All,

New to the thread but not the issues.

saw an adevrt yesterday that most probably will come to nothing for a very rural post in WA - i.e. Perth 2hrs away by plane.

What really interested me was the precise nature of the sponsorship that Wa offer and the level of removal assistance and remuneration. Has anybody got any knowledge about this that they would like to share?

Bezza

saoghalbeag

Have heard a bit about this but can't remember which forum. Try doing a search on this one or on TES? Might be worthwhile shooting off an email enquiry to WA Dept of Ed? Just to see if they are able to give you more insight? They might even be able to link you up with other UK teachers working in WA for advice (would be prudent of them if they really are desperate for staff!). Good luck. I've just taken on a rural job in the desert. Had a 7 hour flight to get here from where I was (Brisbane)! I was terrified of being so far from the sea but you do get a bit of tunnel vision once you arrive - inthat you are so busy at the school and the rest that you forget you are in the middle of nowhere. Unless you go up a hill and look around. But it's actually too flat here to do that so am living in blissful ignorance