LauraLinder Posted March 28, 2015 Share Posted March 28, 2015 I am a teacher in the UK. I have a 3 year BA(Hons) Primary Education degree and 3 years teaching experience. As my degree will not be eligible I am looking into teacher aide / classroom assistant jobs. What advice and experience do people have of this position? All advice and comments would be greatly appreciated. I really want to move to Australia to work in education. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I am a teacher in the UK. I have a 3 year BA(Hons) Primary Education degree and 3 years teaching experience. As my degree will not be eligible I am looking into teacher aide / classroom assistant jobs. What advice and experience do people have of this position? All advice and comments would be greatly appreciated. I really want to move to Australia to work in education. Do you have a visa? I don't believe that classroom assistant will qualify for one if so. You might be better topping up with another year at university. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 There has been a big deal made here in WA about budgets being slashed and TA's losing their jobs. Not sure what the other states are like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I am a teacher in the UK. I have a 3 year BA(Hons) Primary Education degree and 3 years teaching experience. As my degree will not be eligible I am looking into teacher aide / classroom assistant jobs. What advice and experience do people have of this position? All advice and comments would be greatly appreciated. I really want to move to Australia to work in education. Education has experienced many cuts and whilst I can only speak for W.A with regards to education assistants, there are not many jobs available. Are you considering coming over on a WHV or will one of your family members have an eligible visa? I only ask because you will not be able to acquire a visa on the basis of being an education assistant. Have you considered doing one more year of university education in a related field? That would qualify you to teach here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 (edited) The role (where it hasn't been slashed to billy oh) is very different in Aus - often unskilled, casual and poorly paid - and in high demand from local mums who want pocket money while their kids are little. It wouldn't be a "career job" and if you've been a teacher and it isn't just a filler occupation for while you have kids and want school working conditions you would be incredibly frustrated with the snot wiping, nappy changing, shoe lace tying, photocopying role that it might be. If you want to work in education then somehow top up your qualifications and maintain your teacher role (being aware that primary teachers are ten a penny and getting a permanent job in some states is now nigh on impossible in places that people actually want to live). Failing that, change careers. Edited March 29, 2015 by Quoll Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraLinder Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 I have looked into topup options, however there are the cost implications, and if, like it has been said, there are not many primary teacher jobs, I wouldn't have wanted to have wasted that time or money. I would probably have to get a work holiday visa as the other visas are assessed on skills and, although I am a teacher, my degree would not be accepted as skills for teaching. I am looking in the Queensland area and was hoping to get a teacher aide job as a view to what education was like in Australia before I applied for uni to convert my degree to become a teacher in Australia. Terribly confused now as to what the reality is! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I know two people in Sth Aust(one is my nephews partner,the other a friend of my daughter),did their teaching training in SA,and had to take jobs out in the sticks (and I'm talking bush here,not a nice little country town on the coast)because there were no placements anywhere near Adelaide at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I have looked into topup options, however there are the cost implications, and if, like it has been said, there are not many primary teacher jobs, I wouldn't have wanted to have wasted that time or money. I would probably have to get a work holiday visa as the other visas are assessed on skills and, although I am a teacher, my degree would not be accepted as skills for teaching. I am looking in the Queensland area and was hoping to get a teacher aide job as a view to what education was like in Australia before I applied for uni to convert my degree to become a teacher in Australia. Terribly confused now as to what the reality is! Ok, if you come on a WHV then you could apply for relief education assistant work. The stark reality is that that a lot of assistant jobs have been slashed. It would be highly unlikely that any school would advertise a postion and take you on just for the six months. A lot of parents do their assistant training pracs at the school where their child attends and so these jobs tend to be filled by people the schools already know. Come over on a WHV, have some fun and then decide what you think of Australia. You could then do another year of uni if your passion is still strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraLinder Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 What is classed as out in the sticks? I currently live in the countryside in the UK. I have no great desire to live in the town or city here, so in Australia I wouldnt want to live in the city. How remote are we talking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 The role (where it hasn't been slashed to billy oh) is very different in Aus - often unskilled, casual and poorly paid - and in high demand from local mums who want pocket money while their kids are little. It wouldn't be a "career job" and if you've been a teacher and it isn't just a filler occupation for while you have kids and want school working conditions you would be incredibly frustrated with the snot wiping, nappy changing, shoe lace tying, photocopying role that it might be. If you want to work in education then somehow top up your qualifications and maintain your teacher role (being aware that primary teachers are ten a penny and getting a permanent job in some states is now nigh on impossible in places that people actually want to live). Failing that, change careers. This is not true in my experience at all (as I say every time you post similar). I am on 2.2 x the wages I was on in the UK which is comparable (actually probably more so as I am starting at the bottom of the ladder, and I left at the top of the UK one). Our conditions are definitely better at the moment than they were when I left the UK where they kept making us redundant and made to reapply for lesser paid positions! I liaise very closely with the teachers, we have meetings about the best way to support the students, we are generally well respected. I do agree that going from teaching to being a TA would probably be quite frustrating so I would be looking at whether you could top up your qualifications as Quoll suggests. I know a few primary teachers who like doing relief work and short contracts and get a good amount of work through that. I previously worked in a primary school and they would call back the same relief teachers again and again so it is important to build up your reputation and reliability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 What is classed as out in the sticks? I currently live in the countryside in the UK. I have no great desire to live in the town or city here, so in Australia I wouldnt want to live in the city. How remote are we talking? Well looking at a map probably doesn't even give you the right idea of scale of Australia, it is hard for a Brit to comprehend. But you can drive in a straight line for 14 hours and not leave the state. Living in the countryside in UK is not even the same ballpark, in fact there is really no UK comparison, you are never very far from the next town in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraLinder Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 I liaise very closely with the teachers, we have meetings about the best way to support the students, we are generally well respected. As a comparison to the UK, is the role similar... Working with small groups, supporting learning, etc, or is it more administrative, paperwork, resourcing? If you don't mind me asking, roughly what is the salary and working hours? How long did it take to get a position and how easily? Are you in a town or village? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Well looking at a map probably doesn't even give you the right idea of scale of Australia, it is hard for a Brit to comprehend. But you can drive in a straight line for 14 hours and not leave the state. Living in the countryside in UK is not even the same ballpark, in fact there is really no UK comparison, you are never very far from the next town in the UK. Absolutely, a lot of people have no idea (how could they) of what the bush really means in Australia. They think of English country villages.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraLinder Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 I know the bush is nothing like the English countryside, however I do prefer country living over town or city, so the more rural areas may be an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 (edited) I know the bush is nothing like the English countryside, however I do prefer country living over town or city, so the more rural areas may be an option. What you could consider is coming over on a WHV and working as a tutor/governess to children at a cattle station in the outback. You would be snapped up quickly because you have a teaching degree. The money would be good as well. You could only take the position for six months, but it may well suit you down to the ground and then you could travel afterwards Edited March 29, 2015 by Sammy1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I've lived rurally in the UK (Scotland and England)and I can assure you,its nothing like living out in the sticks in Australia.I've lived rurally in SA too,but not "out in the sticks"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraLinder Posted March 29, 2015 Author Share Posted March 29, 2015 What you could consider is coming over on a WHV and working as a tutor/governess to children at a cattle station in the outback. You would be snapped up quickly because you have a teaching degree. The money would be good as well. You could only take the position for six months, but it may well suit you down to the ground and then you could travel afterwards So even though it is not accepted for teaching in Australia, because I have a UK degree, parents would like this if I were to apply to one of these posts? I only ask as I have seen lots of these posts on sights like gumtree and wondered if I should look into them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 (edited) Yes they would interested because you are a qualified teacher, but to teach in any school here you would need the four years of course. You would be able to take the post for a maximum of six months on a WHV. The outback is not for everyone, but it may be for you. Alternatively you could work as an Au-pair, the money would not be great, but you could be in a nicer location. You could use the time to decide if Australia is for you and if you want to do the extra year of training required to teach here - remembering that there is an oversupply of primary teachers and that there is no guarantee of of a job or visa. It really depends though if you want to take at least a year away from your current job/career. Edited March 29, 2015 by Sammy1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 This is not true in my experience at all (as I say every time you post similar).I am on 2.2 x the wages I was on in the UK which is comparable (actually probably more so as I am starting at the bottom of the ladder, and I left at the top of the UK one). Our conditions are definitely better at the moment than they were when I left the UK where they kept making us redundant and made to reapply for lesser paid positions! I liaise very closely with the teachers, we have meetings about the best way to support the students, we are generally well respected. I do agree that going from teaching to being a TA would probably be quite frustrating so I would be looking at whether you could top up your qualifications as Quoll suggests. I know a few primary teachers who like doing relief work and short contracts and get a good amount of work through that. I previously worked in a primary school and they would call back the same relief teachers again and again so it is important to build up your reputation and reliability. Im interested in what isn't true? Comparison with UK is irrelevant, Seek would seem to indicate that a STA full time salary would be ballpark $45k which isn't great by Aus standards and you certainly wouldn't want it as your sole salary. Given that full time and permanent aren't the norm then it'd be a very precarious career leap especially if there were an expectation that one could walk into a full time long term position - most people I've known to be offered roles have usually got themselves known by a school by volunteering for some time. Looking at vacancies for the role on job sites almost all appear to be part time, short term and few specify qualifications beyond first aid cert although obviously a cert III would be a bonus. If there is a state still recruiting full time permanent STAS I'd be surprised - most states see them as good budget cut targets. In my experience the vast number of STA roles are filled locally by mums they know and don't ever reach the job sites. I'm not saying that STAs are poorly educated - far from it. I've worked with people who have PhDs and qualified teachers but none (except the recovering addict previously unemployed mum - who was excellent by the way) saw it as a potential career option, they knew it would be short term and casual. The few permanent STAs we had back in the 80s and 90s gradually left and weren't replaced (except the signing interpreters who had a very special skill - even the Braille transcribing got farmed out). We always used to say that a good STA would try and do themselves out of a job by fostering the independence of kids in the classroom - those that got enmeshed with their students and fostered reliance were more of a problem! Of course STAs are well respected, no one said differently and I would sincerely hope that an STA would be involved in an IEP meeting they're responsible for program delivery across a range of goals. However they are not (should not) be responsible for program design or ever have sole responsibility for a child - the teacher retains duty of care for any child in their class. In Aus the teacher unions have resisted the para professional role eg STAs don't do playground duty as I believe they may do in UK. Im sorry if you thought I was denigrating STAs, far from it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 (edited) Interesting post, there are some differences in W.A. Education assistants here must hold qualifications and they do all undertake playground duty alongside the teachers. The pay is dreadful, but they are a respected member of the school community. There is a move away from EA's preparing resources, to working one on one with students in literacy and numeracy groups. However, there are many permanent education assistants who are now officially 'redeployees'. They lost their positions due to the education cuts in 2013. This means there are surplus assistants at many schools waiting to be transferred to another school as soon as a position opens. Over two thirds of our schools are now independent in W.A., meaning they control all finances. However, the government is paying the salaries of the redeployees until they are found new positions. This means they continue to work in the same school as surplus members knowing that they were unsuccessful in their application and interview to hold onto their permanent position and stay - this has caused much upset. There is a strong feeling that redundancies will be the next step. It is well known in W.A. that the government is moving away from offering permanency to both teachers and education assistants. This means less job security all around and fixed term contracts becoming the norm. All of the EA's that remain at my school are permanent staff members, but as we have seen, permanency means nothing these days. It is a sad state of affairs and I could say so much more. Edited March 29, 2015 by Sammy1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Sorry, Sammy, I should have been clearer - do your STAs do playground duty solo? I really thought the duty of care legislation still made that a big no no. Alongside teachers, for sure as required as their kids often need playground support, but not alone in the playground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Yes, you are quite right, they do it alongside teachers - not on their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I know the bush is nothing like the English countryside, however I do prefer country living over town or city, so the more rural areas may be an option. The fact that you still refer to English "country living" in the same sentence as living rurally in Australia tells that you are still drawing parallels that do not exist. But what the hell, if you come on a WHV you could give it a go and if it isn't for you, then move on. Sounds quite exciting really, it certainly would be an experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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