Tillybud

Hi there. We have decided that the place my boyfriend and I would like to settle is Melbourne, Australia. It looks so very us. However, I wouldn't go there without the guarantee of a teaching job so where would be the best place to start looking? I looked on the TES but there didn't seem to be anywhere in Australia. My specialism is modern foreign languages, teaching French and German, and I have 5 years teaching experience (age 4-7). I have organised many international projects with our school and taken children abroad so I feel I have a lot to offer a school in taking it forward.

I would so appreciate some help in where to start looking. My boyfriend and I would like to go for a 'reccie' next year (after we've raised funds) so I could maybe speak to prospective employers then?

Many thanks! x

Jen1977ni

So are you Secondary trained, but teaching Primary?

lekkilizard

Try the following link. It amy help.

http://www.liveinvictoria.vic.gov.au/

Nx

tieve

Welcome!

Melbourne is a truly awesome city. I moved here from Brisbane in January and I am falling more and more in love with it everyday. It rocks!

First off, have you checked that your qualifications in the UK meet the requirements for immigration? I'm assuming you've checked on www.immi.gov.au and know which Visa you'll apply for? The next step is to check out http://www.teachingaustralia.edu.au/ta/go/home/pid/418 - this is where the skills assessment for teachers are conducted.

Like with most things these days, I'm not sure you could move here and be 'guaranteed' a teaching job. I'm primary trained and thought it would be much easier than it is in reality. It's all about making contacts here and getting in with the schools. I hate to say it but it really is a case of 'who' and not 'what' you know in many instances :-(

There are however, a few things in your favour. You have teaching experience, and Melbourne is a massive city and so there are hundreds of schools. You also have a speciality! Are you qualified to teach French and German right through to upper primary or high school level? If you are, that will increase your job chances greatly as most schools here don't start their LOTE programme until mid-upper primary. What is different from the UK though is that not as many schools have French and German as their taught language... with the social and cultural make-up of Australia, schools try to keep the language taught as close to the local cultural make-up as possible. That means there are a lot of schools that teach Italian, Indonesian, Japanese, Chinese languages and often also Vietnamese. Saying that, I have seen a few adds lately for German teachers.

Teaching languages to lower Primary, your best luck might be in the private school sector. Melbourne has a LOT of private schools, and I think these are the schools most likely to implement language programmes for the 'littlies' as they call them here :-)

For jobs in the Private and Independent sectors, look at http://www.independentschools.com.au/.

For State Schools, all jobs are advertised under: https://schooljobs.education.vic.gov...RAM.HRS_CE.GBL

Good luck and if you have any more questions, feel free to PM me

Tillybud

Thank you so much for all your comments. It was particularly lovely to hear from someone teaching in Melbourne, Tieve, and I will definitely take you up on that PM offer.

I did a languages degree but then a PGCE so my specialism is ages 4 to 7, but I am trained to teach any primary and secondary children and can teach languages to all ages, even adults! I would like to stick with the 'littlies' if at all possible so I'm thinking maybe the independant schools are a way to go (so long as they're not too stuffy like they are here as that is definitely not my style - I'm a firm believer that children learn through play and having fun). In England, we don't have to learn a language until the children are 7 (and that's only legal in 2010!) but I have implemented a programme in school where we start at 3 (using finger rhymes, songs etc) and the parents are amazed to hear their children coming home speaking French! This is when they truly absorb languages. You can tell I feel strongly about this!

I wouldn't want to move without having a job so we're coming for a 'reccie' sometime next year where I hope to make lots of contacts. In the meantime I will note the links and maybe get in touch with a few places for advice. Thank you so much for taking the time to get back to me!

hereshoping

I'm also out here teaching in Melbourne and I absolutly love it, it's a great city and I'm sure you'd love living here.

It is incredibly rare to get offered a job before you make the move, those teachers that do get job offers in advance are almost all in shortage subjects like secondary science or maths and the job offers tend to be from private schools.

Being a primary teacher I doubt you'd be able to get a job from overseas, you'll either have to take the plunge without a job or give up on the idea of moving. Sorry if that's blunt but it is the way it is.

Tillybud

That's fine - I appreciate your honesty, but I will try and see what happens.

Just looking into visas, and it seems that the 'skilled worker' visa is the right one. I was shocked that it's over £1000 though, is that correct? As for my partner, if I added him on the same visa would that be another £1000? We've lived together for 8 years.

It just seems like a huge amount on top of flights over there and the cost of moving. Wondering if we can afford it. Maybe our only hope is to be sponsored somehow?!

Jen1977ni

Even if you're sponsored, you still have to pay for the visa! I guess they make it so expensive to sort the wheat from the chaff, find out whose serious about the move, and will stop at nothing to do it....

I couldn't particularly afford it either, so got a credit card especially for all of this Aussie stuff, which I intend to pay off with some of the equity from the sale of my house, when it's actually worth something that is!

upthevilla

Hi,
Only the main applicant pays for the visa. The other people named on the visa are included in the fee. So it will be about £1000 for the visa overall. But I agree, the costs are staggering when you include your Teaching Australia skills assessment, getting copies certified and medicals/police checks.

Good luck,

Will

Tillybud

Ok...so how much does that cost? I didn't know you had to do a Teaching Australia skills assessment - what does that entail? Could you tell me the full costs for myself and partner?

After our initial excitement we're becoming a little despondent. My partner has been ill for a while and hasn't been able to work, so we have no savings. Our parents are pensioners so can only help a little bit. The credit card thing may work but we don't own a home. Argh!

We can't give up now though. Am I right in thinking it takes about 2 years to get the Visa? I'm starting to think we might have to rethink and emigrate somewhere else.

I do appreciate all of your help, even if I sound a little down!

Jen1977ni

Skills assessment is $450 which converted to £226 when I did it in dec/jan. After the application goes in there are additional costs of a few hundred quid for medicals and police checks, so far I've paid well in excess of £1500 and that's before the meds! Was ur teaching degree 3 or 4 years?

Jen1977ni

The reason I ask is because some people have had trouble having their three year teaching degrees recognized by Teaching Australia, they're the assessing body if u want to google their website...

Tillybud

I did a Languages degree (French, German and Linguistics) for 4 years and a PGCE specialising in Early Years/KS1 for one year (hence a whole lot of student debt still!) I am in my 5th year of teaching, beginning a temporary management post in September.

I can see I'm going to have to save lots! How long has the whole process taken for you? What checks would my partner have to do. He is just recovered from M.E. - hope this wouldn't go against him.

I really do appreciate the advice!

Jen1977ni

My process is still ongoing and could take up to 3 years as primary isn't in demand! Where ur partners condition is concerned, ud be better seeking advice from a MARA registered agent, every case is different and as I'm no expert, medical or otherwise, I'd be in no position to advise, sorry.

coolerkingcooler

Agreed, post on the main forum asking which agent has an expertise with medical conditions.

Good luck,
Cooler