jo78

Hi everyone im emigrating to australia on a subclass 457 visa - i am a solicitor and have a new job in QLD so im all set however my fella is currently doing his teaching course (PGCE) here in manchester training to be a secondary school geography teacher so he plans on joining me out in Australia when he finishes his course next June but he is getting a little concerned over jobs out there.

Can anyone help with any advice - he knows he wont have his QTS in the UK as he wont have been able to do 1 years work after the course but he was wondering what his status would be in australia and the likely hood of him getting jobs out there.

Also a bit worried about if he comes over to me next year w/o doing the QTS part of his career if this will affect him when he gets back from the UK? If we decided to come back that is?!

If anyone could help that would be great - any advice welcome!!!!! any tips on websites would be greatly appreciated too!

brisbanebound

As far as I know he will need QTS to teach in Oz

brisbanebound

PS. There is a teachers' forum on here, they may be able to help you

freckles1970

I would suggest you check the teachers forum on here as I'm sure a similar question was posted before.

In australia each state has a teaching body. I would suggest that perhaps you contact them directly to ask this question; if you let me know which state you will be in I will try and locate the website address for you.

I would also look into the curriculum delivered in Australia as it does differ to the UK....I am sure his subject is there but it may be combined with something else....worth checking.

As for the whole returning to the UK thing, it would certainly be better if he did his QTS year before he left but obviously this does not seem possible. I actually think there is a time limit of a number of years (can't remember how many exactly as I finished my pgce a few years ago) that you must complete your QTS year in. It may be that teaching in Australia can be used to credit towards this, but I think it would be best to contact the GTC (general teaching council) in the UK to clarify this.

Hope this helps

jo78

thanks freckles - apparantly that has changed now and there is no time limit on when you do your qts - thank god!

its mackay, qld we are heading for

Australia_bound?

Can teach in Aus without QTS.
But actually getting a full time post once there maybe very difficult. Would most likely be stuck doing supply for a long time!

freckles1970

Hi

The website does not seem to be working at the moment, but if you take a look at the following address later, this will give you details generally about teaching in OZ. It will also give you details of state governing bodies which I suggest are who you need to contact.

http://www.teachingaustralia.edu.au

Take a look at the teaching forum also as there was a really good post a few weeks ago listing all the agencies who advertise teaching jobs. May give you a better idea of what type/how much work is out there at the moment.

I know in certain states it can be more difficult to find work, but I think secondary teachers fair a little better than primary and apparently supply is well paid if no permanent work is available.

Good luck

Australia_bound?

Where'd you hear supply is well paid lol

Have a link somewhere for this (can't find it right now) but doesn't look good

freckles1970

I am just trying to be helpful.....Just giving the negative rather than both sides of the coin is probably not helping

hereshoping

Just to avoid any confusion you do need QTS (i.e. qualified teacher status) to teach in Oz, your bloke will get this at the end of his course. You do not need to have passed induction (i.e. completed NQT year) to be qualified. There is no statutory time in which you have to start your NQT year anymore.

However it will inevitably be harder without experience and he may well have to do a probation year in oz depending on which state he goes to.

Jobs are dependent on area and subject.

Australia_bound?

Sorry to correct myself, can teach without doing NQT year, but most likely be harder to obtain employment without any experience!

saoghalbeag

From what I have been told you do not automatically receive QTS upon graduation - it has to be earned via completion of QTS folio etc. Most teachers graduating from English unis obtain it in their NQT/Induction year, EU teachers receive it through the mutual recognition policy and o/seas teachers, regardless of experience in home country or UK, have to obtain it within 4 years of first teaching day in the UK or be refused right to teach in UK.

It is not relevant in Australia as it is a completely different system. Yes, you need to have successfully completed your teacher training course and that course (and your undergrad if you did the PGCE) must fulfil the requirements for teacher qualification in various states/territories of Australia. If you have a dig round this forum you will find more info on having your qualifications recognised.

Education is managed by states/territories so you will need to get in touch with Education Queensland and register with them. I don't recall this costing me anything but I am Australian so possibly different for o/seas teachers. You will also need to register with the Queensland College of Teachers (about $60 annually and probably an initial rego fee as well).

Regarding the experience and whether or not he should do his NQT year and gain QTS before coming to Australia. There are definitely arguments for this, especially if you think you may return. I would get in touch with the GTC and find out what the process is if he comes here without NQT/QTS and then wants to return to the UK.

The other point to note is that while Queensland does not have a NQT year or QTS, they do have a system of Provisonal/Probationary registration and Full Registration. With under 1 year of teaching experience post-graduation, you will be classed as provisional with the Qld College of Teachers and Education Qld. This mainly affects you in terms of payscales, but can also affect the types of teaching you may do. The Education Queensland Teacher Applicant Centre will be able to provide more info (see the website) but there is an interview process your partner will have to go through to get a 'rating' before he can take on long term or permanent posts. He can do day-to-day supply (and I think short term contracts up to 10 weeks?) without this interview, so once all the paperwork is through can essentially start work.

Also, you do not apply for jobs in the Qld state system - you register, get your rating and then wait for the Department to allocate you a position. There is the issue of 'country service' as well, where you accrue points for years of service in rural areas. Private/independent schools are different again - they advertise regularly in the local papers (or online at Career One) and you apply to them similar to how you would in the UK (ie: resume, interview). These schools tend to fall into categories of posher private schools - Anglican, Grammar etc, or Catholic schools (not so posh), as well as more modern arrivals, often run by Pentacostal churches. There is one of these in Mackay. The latter will usually require an active Christian faith and references from your church at home.

I have not noticed many jobs for schools in Mackay but there are often adverts for positions in Townsville and Cairns independent schools. It might be a matter of moving to where the jobs are initially, to gain experience. At least you are out of the South East where it is a nightmare. All these people moving here and new schools popping up or expanding, but still a dozen people interviewing!! Maybe everyone moving here is a teacher????

Well, that's all I can think of for now. I hope it is a little helpful, but really your best bet is to start communicating with Qld college of Teachers and Education Queensland. Might be worth keeping an eye on the Career One website for independent job situation. You can also access a Word File of current contractual vacancies in the state system via the Edu Qld website. These jobs always seem to be for Manual Arts and LOTE (Languages Other Than English) so I am obviously in the wrong subject!

Good luck!