Guest moonberry Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 My husband and I are emigrating in August - we both are teachers - but there seems to be no jobs and we have already booked our flights and handed in our notice. Can anyone advise us on gaining teaching jobs and if not what other jobs we could apply for - we will do anything and desperately want to settle in OZ. We have a permenant visa which we have not been able to use yet as to family illness and bereavement but have been planning our move to Oz for years. Please can someone advise us on the work situation as we keep getting mixed messages with regards to teaching - we will teach anywhere. My husband is a deputy head and I am a head of performing arts.any adivice much appreciated :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 First of all you have to get your qualifications verified - I assume you are both 4 year trained otherwise you will have a snowball in h*ll's chance of getting in front of a class. Unfortunately there are plenty of teachers around but they all want the "nice" areas. If you are prepared to go to the a*se end of nowhere and teach in highly deprived areas then you may get contracts with the department. There are only vacancies in those places because no one else wants to go there - however, if you are game then you get your foot in the door. You must expect to begin again though - its not likely that you are going to get positions even vaguely equivalent to the ones you now have. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Susie Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 Hi Moonberry My husband and I are both teaching in Perth, WA having both given up permanent, full-time teaching posts in Scotland - which we thought we hated but now we realise that the grass is most definitely not greener!! My husband has been lucky to get a permanent post in a private school in social subjects but they really do want a lot out of him. Some nights he does not get home til 7 and it is 'meetings for the sake of having meetings' all the time. He thinks the working conditions are far worse than in the UK although he likes the kids, well behaved and motivated in most cases. My experience has been different. All I've done is relief (supply) work here as my subject (Business Ed and ICT) is not really in demand here as not many schools offer these courses. So I do relief in any subject and have been working in the same state school (a few days per week) since November. I would say performing arts would be in demand here as drama, dance etc is very big in schools here. However, the problem is the crappy online recruitment system for state schools, the jobs are not advertised in the papers/internet as they are in the UK. To apply for jobs in state schools, you fill out a form online saying what you can teach, what you are prepared to teach, and what schools you will go to and then they match you (or not in my case) with a job position for one year. To get a permanent post in the metro area, in most cases in WA, you need to do 3 years in the country first. Hence, most teachers only know what they are doing up until the end of the year - not very secure. In summary, my husband and I think it a far worse job here and in my case very unsatisfying. The job conditions are worse, state schools are very poorly resourced, behaviour is bad, standards are low. We much preferred teaching in Scotland and have found we had a better standard of living there as our teaching salaries went a lot further. Although the salary is just slightly less, everything (except Petrol) seems more expensive. I hope this helps and feel free to ask any more questions you have. Susie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest moonberry Posted May 10, 2009 Share Posted May 10, 2009 Thanks for all your detail. It doesn't sound like you are enjoying it? We are both very familar with meetings for the sake of meetings here in England. It's not so bad for me but Mu hubbie never gets home before 6.30. I am sorry to here to dislike it so much - maybe you should try a different state? We have friends who teach in Adelaide and absolutely love the place and their schools. I am surprised the behaviour is bad though - in what way? Is there anything good about Perth or anything you like? I guess the only way we will find out is having a go. If we don't like it we will go somewhere else. Thanks for you advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Susie Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Hi Moonberry I must've sounded really negative in my post! Any yes, you do need to find out for yourself. I wouldn't have listened to anyone before we came, to be honest, as I was so determined to get here. Yes, there are definitely things that are good about Perth. In my opinion only, the positives are weather (obv), stunning beaches, beautiful sunsets, it is quite built up so loads of schools in a relatively small area for relief work. Loads of private schools (most religious and you need a reference from priest or minister before they consider your application), as well as public (state) schools, I think the kids enjoy school more here (as it seems more laid back for them and they do a lot of fun stuff - sausage sizzles, residential camps, beach carnivals, a lot of sport), the kids also seem far more confident and positive (in most cases) due to doing so much drama, talks in English etc. Negatives, IN MY OPINION ONLY, are the remoteness (not only far from everywhere else but expensive to go interstate etc), house prices high (compared to Scotland), supermarkets and clothes shops expensive and poor, need to drive to get anywhere, public transport poor (unless live near train station), a lot of graffitti and quite scruffy and brown in many areas, find many Australians to be insular, polite but distant, the online recruitment system for state schools, schools I've worked in are poorly resourced, behaviour in state schools poor (swearing almost the norm, more lazy kids, littering bad), one school I was at was totally out of control - I didn't feel safe there (better not give name online but pm me if you like), often have to do duties in the playground at recess and lunch, as well as teaching all day so no break (very tiring), to be honest though, supply teaching is hard work anywhere (kids don't take seriously, you don't know their names etc). So that's about it really. Best of luck to you. As I said, performing arts is BIG here so that is positive for your job prospects. Susie x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Winahupe Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Has anyone done the Entry and Orientation Program for overseas teachers in Perth? Can you tell me what is like and how often it runs? I know that you can do relief work without it but where do you register? Any information on primary teaching in metro Perth at the moment would be most welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stuhayles Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Hi, I'm a secondary school teacher specialised in teaching textiles and food, I already had my fears about leaving a job I love in the UK and emmigrating to Australia but after reading all these replies I am now petrified and considering staying in the UK. This is my 3rd year of teaching, hoping to emmigrate next year in April, is it unrealistic for me to think that I might be employed as a teacher? Do you need a definite 4 years experience? Don't get me wrong I've had to deal with very challenging behaviour here, and the children I teach are always swearing, but I'm now thinking that teaching in Australia is major behaviour management issues? Is it really that bad in Perth???? Before I make the life changing move!!! Hayley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Hi, I'm a secondary school teacher specialised in teaching textiles and food, I already had my fears about leaving a job I love in the UK and emmigrating to Australia but after reading all these replies I am now petrified and considering staying in the UK. This is my 3rd year of teaching, hoping to emmigrate next year in April, is it unrealistic for me to think that I might be employed as a teacher? Do you need a definite 4 years experience? Don't get me wrong I've had to deal with very challenging behaviour here, and the children I teach are always swearing, but I'm now thinking that teaching in Australia is major behaviour management issues? Is it really that bad in Perth???? Before I make the life changing move!!! Hayley You dont need 4 years of experience you need to be 4 year trained so either a first degree with PGCE or a bachelors which took 4 years of full time study. I dont know what the vacancy rate is for textiles and food but I wouldnt think there would be too many vacancies unlike applied maths and science where they are always saying they need people. More vacancies outside Perth I would imagine - the more remote you go the more likely you are to pick up something but, then, you probably wouldnt want to live in some of the remote areas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest IanM77 Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 Hi I'm a primary teacher living and working in Wa. My family and I came out on a 457 Visa last year, we were sponsored by the education department.I am at whats classed as a rural school, about a 2 hour drive north of Perth. Its a wee school with about 50 kids and its great. The kids are well behaved, there are some exceptions, its very laid back and the staff are a great laugh. We are here for 3 years and then we'll decided if we are going to stay here or try for a job more closer to Perth. I was lucky in that we're a 2 min walk from a fantastic beach, the weathers great, staff are very sociable ane only 2 hours from Perth, which isn't that far in terms of how big Oz is. Hope it helps Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 If you teach maths and science subjects then there is a big demand, however positions in arts, computers, social science, home ec, physed are harder to get as there are a lot of graduates from the universities here in those areas. My son took the hard yards when he graduated and went to a country school to obtain a permanent position with the department here in Victoria and he really enjoyed it but then he is single and only himself to think about. He is also male and teaches maths and science so has all the right things going for him. My daughter teaches social science and is not working as a teacher as she needs to be close to facilities in Melbourne due to her health and there are no positions available. Positions usually appear later in the year on the Education sites but a lot of the positions which are advertised are in fact filled already as the school will be retaining the teacher who is a contract teacher on another contract the next year. They have to advertise the positions though. Its a silly system brought in by our previous government in Victoria and means that teachers have no idea what is available or not unless they find out by word of mouth. My son heard of the position coming up at the school he now teaches at by word of mouth. Have a look at Independent Schools Employment also teachers.on.net - Australia's number one education employment website Class Professionals | Employment Specialists for Childcare, Primary and Secondary Teaching jobs | SimplyHired Australia These are smaller sites and may be more helpful than the larger ones. Here in Melbourne the wages are more in private schools than the State system and there are lots of private schools. If the op has been a Deputy Head I believe private schools would be interested. Good luck, do not give up once you know how the system works you can work with it. Good teachers are always needed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stuhayles Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 Hi Ian and Petals, thankyou you both for your input, Ian you have cheered me up no end! I'm still only a youngish teacher at 28 and I was starting to think that maybe Oz wasn't a good idea. I wouldn't mind teaching in a rural area as long as I wouldn't get eaten alive by the kids. I must sound like a nervous wreck!? It's such a big thing that we are doing I need it tobe the right thing. thankyou Hayley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest boomerangpommie Posted May 17, 2009 Share Posted May 17, 2009 I think there must quite a lot of teaching work in WA - but it may well be rural - last October/November, the WA Ed Dept had a massive recruitment drive and held quite a few seminars here in the UK, so I imagine they must have really needed teachers to come over here loooking for them and offering sponsorship. I doubt that they would have got everyone they need in place yet, that takes ages. Check out their website or even see if you can give them a ring to find out more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest moonberry Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Thank you for your post - every little bit of information helps!I may be in touch with some questions soon! Cheers, Kellie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted May 19, 2009 Share Posted May 19, 2009 Don't worry about country children my son says some have their problems but mostly they are very good to teach. I am basing this on country Victoria though which is a lot different to country WA. Country WA you could be over 1000 km from Perth and its more outback than country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rossmoyne Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 email teachingwa@det.com.au ask for your email to be forwarded to EOP section.... they will tell you all you need to know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Winahupe Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Thanks. I have emailed the det but they won't give out any information on the EOP program until I have a permanent address in Perth. Just wondered if anyone had actually done it and what they thought of it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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