dancemania Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I am currently studying as a higher level teaching assistant so when I'm qualified I will be a level 4. I was wondering if anyone knows what the pay is like for teaching assistants, if there are many opportunities to find a job if i decide to move, just general facts on it all as I am wanting to weigh everything up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Teaching assistants aren't the same in Aus. In general they are low paid, unskilled and often very casual or short term. The demand for such positions is quite high as a lot of mums want "school hours" while their kids are young. All you generally need is a first aid cert and clean police record although there are more Cert ii and iii courses on offer at TAFE now especially for special ed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancemania Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 the course I am doing now includes a good section on special educational needs so would that go in my favour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 It wouldn't disadvantage you, certainly. However you might find you have to do a lot of volunteer work to get known by a school so that they think of you if they don't have a local mum to fill the position. It's more the nappy changing, shoe lace tying role than the para professional role you may be used to. You'd probably earn more in retail! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Bear in mind that WA has slashed its budgets and lots of EA's have lost their jobs unfortunately. Not sure what the other states are like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane1968 Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 At my daughter's school , the role of teaching assistant is mainly undertaken by mums. We have a rota and assist the teacher for 2-3 hours a day. There is a qualification you can undertake for $900.00 , which at Monash University, in Melbourne is only 8 classes and then you are ready to go ! It is very rare for posts to be advertised and those I have seen are for 8 to 10 hours a week , plus with all the mums volunteering, the schools have no need for paid staff. Good Luck with your decision Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 My sons school, it seems to be all Mums and it's far less of a level than TA's in the UK. It seems far more casual and teachers don't have one to a class like we had in the UK. I've been told jobs come up rarely and are usually filled by parents with kids in the school. Tbh I don't think it's the kind of thing would serve you well in Aus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dxboz Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 There is always a need for TAs in special education. They are full time permanent positions normally (in Victoria anyway) not like in a regular school. Pay is generally not that great but you do get all the school holidays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loulouhew Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I am in WA and did a lot of relief work before recently getting a contract. I was only Level 2 in UK . Relief work pays $150 a day in mainstream $200 a day in ED Support Centres. I am paid $24 per hour as a Special Needs EA in a mainstream school. I just registered with lots of schools in my area all within about 20-30 mins drive and picked up plenty of relief work. If you register on the government website for the state you are going to they will email the job vacancies. Hope that helps Lou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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