Teaching australia skills assessments turned down due to 16+ PGCE

**lucadoyle** · 21-01-2010, 08:36 AM

My wife recently had her teaching skills assesment back from teaching australia which came back unsuccessful. She was being assessed as a Secondary school teacher. She has been working in FE colleges (16+ years age group) for over 10 years now and is more than capable of teaching in secondary schools. She has a degree and Masters degree in her subject but the problem is that in Australia the secondary school years run from 12 - 18 and in the UK its 12 - 16. As my wife teaches 16 -18 year olds we thought she would fit into this category and have been told by various agencies that this would be fine. Teaching Australia didn't accept this because she completed her PGCE fulltime based on 16+ students.
Is the only way round this for her to give up her 40k a year job to do another PGCE based on 12-18 or do a PHD and then get 3 years experience in a Uni? It seems like all people who have done this PGCE and have many years expereince are being turned away because it doesn't quite fit into the Australian education system. Surely there is something she can do in the evenings to enable her as qualified without doing a fulltime year course. PLEASE PLEASE help we are so deflated by this and are desperate to take our 1 year old daughter and 5 year old son to Australia. Is there anyone who has had the same issue or does anyone know how to get around this? Many many thanks for reading and any help would be greatfully appreciated.

Jack & Laura

**Petals** · 21-01-2010, 08:53 AM

Depends what she is teaching, if its maths and science there is a shortage, if its other subjects no shortage from Australian sources. My daughter is a secondary school teacher and she does not have a job because what she teaches is years 11 and 12 and there is no shortage in her subject and her degrees are Australian degrees.

My son on the other hand did a science degree and post grad teaching and he teaches maths and science and has two things going for him, he is male, he teaches maths and science. They are trying to attract more male teachers into the system as its down by the head with women and they think that its not a good thing.

After Aus had the teacher shortage they increased the places in university for teachers and these are just starting to come through.

If your wife could be sponsored by a private school that would be a good way to go. Also experienced teachers get more money and schools all have their own budget so your wife may be too dear. Her income as a teacher in UK would be more than she would earn here as a new teacher.

**lucadoyle** · 21-01-2010, 09:18 AM

Many thanks for your quick reply. She is teaching performing arts but her training is in English/Performing arts. To be honest we just want to get a Visa first and worry about jobs later but because of Teaching Australia criteria (which I can understand) they won't class her as a secondary school teacher. She doesn't fit into any other jobs on the SOL as its either Primary school\ Secondary School, or University Lecturer. It just seems strange that a teacher with all her experience doesn't fit into any teaching criteria in Australia and really wanted to know if there was a way round this without having to do a PGCE again. We arn't even bothered about what she gets paid when she gets there either. We just want to get to Australia! Many thanks for your reply... we will look at private schools\colleges for sponsership visas etc but they don't seem to come up very often and are probably taken more by local people if they are capable of doing the job.

Jack & Laura

**nik_kershaw** · 21-01-2010, 09:57 AM

Just spoken to my wife who is a qualified primary teacher (and Aussie) she said if your wife was assessed as a adult educator and applied for TAFE jobs etc. you might have already looked at this but it is just a stab in the dark

**lucadoyle** · 21-01-2010, 10:13 AM

Hi many thanks for your reply... i can't see adult educator on the SOL http://www.immi.gov.au/allforms/pdf/1121i.pdf Do you know if it comes under another category? Many thanks for replying.
Jack & Laura.

**pippa1** · 21-01-2010, 10:22 AM

Hi

Your wife would get a skills assmt through Vetassess as a vocational teacher (non trades) but unfortunately that puts you at the bottom of the priority pile :(

I work at TAFE and also looked into getting a secondary school teacher assessment to get a CSL occupation. I have teaching registration from Qld and actually teach year 11/12 students at TAFE as part of vet in schools program, but I do not meet their criteria, even though I can work in a secondary school!

Good luck with it all x

**lucadoyle** · 21-01-2010, 10:52 AM

Thanks Pippa for your replys. Stupidly enough we have never looked at this route because agencies have always said that we have to go the secondary school route. Even if my wife did get the skills assessed by Vetasses and they where successful, does being at the bottom of the pile mean maybe never getting a visa or will it definately be granted but just much slower? You have given us a bit of hope again. We now need to find a state that is accepting that occupation as we would never get in on a 175 (skilled migrant visa) as we would only get 105 points. I'm going to get searching now!!! I don't care where we go for the first 2 years as long as we can get there! Many thanks again.

**pippa1** · 21-01-2010, 11:04 AM

Fingers crossed for you!

I am an onshore applicant in Qld and can't get any state sponsorship from them :( I haven't really looked into other states as I have a job at TAFE here, family close by and really don't want to move anywhere else. Therefore, I will just have to sit and wait at the bottom of the processing pile.

You could, as a very last resort consider studying in Oz .... (very, very, last ,risky, no other way resort!!)

Good luck with it all x

**lavender776** · 21-01-2010, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by lucadoyle

We now need to find a state that is accepting that occupation

ACT are sponsoring Vocational Ed teachers (I have recently got it). However, when I applied, they were specifying Language, literacy and numeracy teachers (which is what I do in FE). Now, however, they are specifying IT and trades. It may still be worth a try though. I haven't looked recently, but they were the only state with it on their list.

I'm surprised at someone telling you that your wife will be able to be assessed as a Secondary school teacher though. It would be the same in this country. I have a PGCE in FE, but would not technically be qualified to teach in a Secondary school (even though I teach excluded 14-16 year olds that the schools can't handle!) Sorry, quick rant there.

I haven't looked into it for sometime, but I think there used to be some fast track conversion course from FE to Secondary PGCE. If I remember rightly, the FE qual does not transfer into Secondary because of the lack of focus on National Curriculum subjects.

Just had a quick look at TES and found this:
Conversion/top up for Further Education PGCE (QTLS) to PGCE (QTS) recognised - FE - General - TES Connect

Don't know if it's much use, haven't read it all. Be careful with the GTP though. Several years ago, I was accepted on a GTP scheme with the intention of using it to get to Australia. Again, I don't know if this is still the same, but then, it wasn't recognised in Australia. I only found that out via a forum and I was eternally grateful to the person who mentioned it.

Anyway, good luck!

**lucadoyle** · 21-01-2010, 05:43 PM

Many thanks for your replys. Its really great that people take the time to answer these threads as it is really helpful. I shall hopefully be able to help out when\if we get there! Thanks again...

Jack and Laura