I teach ICT / Computing. Did two years in the UK then six in NZ. The quake forced a rethink so we're back in the UK for time with family etc. Just completed my registration with QCT ahead of an anticipated move there later this year.

However, if I understand the system correctly, I have to select a region then, assuming there aren't sufficient numbers already in the 'pool' I'm added to that group and await enquiries from schools? It also seems I'm highly unlikely to secure a job whilst still in the UK (something I was determined to do after my experience of the UK this year - desperate times here for sure)?

Do all states operate this system? It surely means that the best candidate doesn't necessarily get a shot at the job? Has anybody been through this process and could they offer any advice?

Many thanks.

Look back on my posts about teaching here in Qld. My rego took 112 days from start to finish, so despite arriving here in Feb I wasn't teaching til nearly June. I got a lot of supply work and a few longer contracts here and there, then last year I was 'on class' all year with a Year 4 class. This year I was 'on class' in the same school, on Year 3, then 'Day 8' came and our numbers were down so I was made an LRT/DRT and my class were split and distributed amongst the other four Yr 3 classes. As an LRT/DRT I'm similar to a supply teacher, except with a guaranteed wage, and I have to go where I'm sent, even if the school is rough, I have no choice WHERE I GO AT ALL.

Starting to get fed up with the whole system, and in all honesty, I'm wondering if a change of career is on the cards in the very near future!

Thanks for that. Not encouraging but it's good to hear of your experiences. Think it now more likely that we'll head back to NZ for a couple of years and make our decisions about Oz at a later date. At least we're already set up there and have our teaching and nursing registrations etc. up-to-date. North Island this time though.

Your rego needs to be renewed every year by the way. Sorry if I've put you off but I'm just being honest...

I imagined as much actually. That's OK. You haven't put me off but I am discouraged from trying to take care of it all from here. Especially as we're not totally set on the region we want to live in. Better to make a few trips over.

You're absolutely right - state system in Qld is bizarre & no, not all states are the same. It's an attempt to get decent teachers evenly distributed across a vast geographic area, and not all bottlenecked in the southeast.

The 'pool' & 'points' system may look great on paper but it doesn't fit with reality. My local area is rural, but close enough to Brisbane to commute, so can be used as a stepping stone for teachers trying to transfer closer to home. Some like it here & stay, but in other cases schools have ended up with endless streams of temp teachers who choof off to Brissy while local teachers work day to day supply-they've not as many country service 'points' so can't get the longer term posts. But if the system used merit approach - calling for interviews & selecting an applicant....aarrgh!!!

It's a stupid system from the same bureaucratic clowns who use scare campaigns to try to stop teachers using social media.

Leaving teaching was the best decision I ever made! Good luck in NZ!