457ScottishExpat Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Hi, Hello..... First post here... :biggrin: Just looking for some advice really. I'm over here working as an IT Developer on the company sponsored VISA after being transferred from the UK. My girlfriend is qualified as a primary school teacher in Scotland, and chose to come with me to Australia rather than do her probation year there. She's registered to work in Victoria, but, despite lots of applications, has never been offered an interview for the graduate positions. We were under the impression that teachers were in high demand in Australia, but we've had feedback that she's up against 30-60 applicants for each role :frown: Queries: I wondered if there were any other expats out there doing teaching jobs... Whether they've had similar problems getting a job... Whether anyone has any ideas how she could make herself more attractive to potential employers... (e.g. tutoring, volunteering as a teaching assistant, doing a local course???) We're at our wits end really - She's been registered for a couple of months, and submitted 20-30 applications all over Melbourne with no luck. Any ideas ? 457ScottishExpat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 The dearth of teachers is a myth - there are thousands of Australians looking for teaching jobs in the nicer parts of the cities and, as you say, tens of people vying for each job. The most she could hope for is casual relief work I would think unless she has a crash hot skill set which is in demand. Many young Aussies leave teaching because they just cannot get their foot in the door in the city areas and if they dont leave the profession they often leave the city for a rural placement (not going to work if you are based in Melbourne though). If she is also on a temporary visa (is that what the 457 in your sig implies) then that is a double whammy as she will be prioritized behind permanent residents for gov school appointments. I'd be suggesting to look for whatever work she can get and not be too bothered about teaching. Also bear in mind that this is the middle of the academic year - most movement starts in September with transfer rounds to get staff in place for the new year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudi Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Ditto what Quoll says. It is a myth that teacher, particularly primary teachers are in demand over here - Primary School Teachers are no longer even on the SOL. If I was her I would be looking for casual teaching work. She should be contacting schools directly with her CV and seeing what's available. I certainly had no problem finding casual work when I was teaching! Good luck! Love Rudi x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
457ScottishExpat Posted June 26, 2010 Author Share Posted June 26, 2010 Thanks for the responses thus far guys (despite the bad news). In Scotland, you have two options - either do your probation year in a school, or you can opt out, in which case you have up to 5 years (of which 2 have elapsed) to get the requisite number of days experience to become fully qualified. Once you opt out, you can't go back and do the probation. So, we can't really "not be too bothered about teaching", as if she doesn't get the requisite number of days, she won't be fully qualified to work in Scotland if/when we return. Unfortunately, going back home isn't a solution to this problem, as primary school teaching jobs are equally over-subscribed, to the point that they no longer run the course in most Universities. All of her friends back home that are fully qualified (with probation) are not working in the teaching sector a year on due to the lack of opportunities. She put a lot of time/money/effort into following her dream to be a teacher, and we're just trying to look constructively at ways in which she can increase her chances. There doesn't seem to be much casual work going for Graduate Teachers - most expect you to be fully qualified ? We were thinking she could maybe do another teaching course / TAFE course here ? I'm not sure it would be any better than the qualification she already has though... Also thinking: ..tutoring kids ..volunteering in a school as a teaching assistant (you can't volunter to be a teacher though). ..basing herself temporarily in another state / country e.g. NZ, where she has better chances ? [*]Not sure which of these would help our chances though... Cheers 457ScottishExpat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudi Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 There doesn't seem to be much casual work going for Graduate Teachers - most expect you to be fully qualified ? 457ScottishExpat I went straight from uni in NSW into casual teaching with no problem at all. I was OVER RUN with calls!!!! Maybe it's different where you? I have never "fully qualified" so to speak as I've not done enough days. Just keep trying! If she is registered with the relevant teaching authority in Victoria, then I see no reason why she should not be offered casual teaching work. It maybe a day here and a day there and a few days here etc. Love Rudi x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted June 26, 2010 Share Posted June 26, 2010 Primary teaching may be a dead horse - would she consider adult training instead? There are usually quite a few vacancies in the industrial sector for Cert iv TAA (Training and Assessment) providers and you can do cert iv at TAFE although I think she may be up for international student fees to do the course. Alternatively, doesnt Vic have a casual relief agencies? If she hasnt signed up with them then perhaps she should do that. The other thing to consider would be to look outside Melbourne for maybe longer term contracts and have a bit of a long distance relationship for a while. She may have to go pretty far out though but there will probably be places that they cant recruit a teacher into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
457ScottishExpat Posted June 27, 2010 Author Share Posted June 27, 2010 Rudi As she has not been able to secure work since she graduated, we targetted the Graduate positions, as there is a support framework for the teachers - new teachers have a mentor within the school. We were concerned that carrying out casual work would mean she was being thrown in the deep end, but perhaps it's our only option. Out of interest, how long ago was it that you were casual teaching ? Quoll As mentioned before, we've no intention of giving up on the primary teaching route. It is her dream, and she's invested too much time/effort into becoming qualified and registered to abandon things at the first sign of trouble. In terms of casual work, as Rudi said, I think it's a matter of contacting the schools directly and seeing what's available. Looking outside Melbourne is certainly an option available to us, but we'll see how things go with the casual teaching locally before we look further afield. Cheers, 457ScottishExpat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rudi Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 RudiAs she has not been able to secure work since she graduated, we targetted the Graduate positions, as there is a support framework for the teachers - new teachers have a mentor within the school. We were concerned that carrying out casual work would mean she was being thrown in the deep end, but perhaps it's our only option. Out of interest, how long ago was it that you were casual teaching ? Quoll As mentioned before, we've no intention of giving up on the primary teaching route. It is her dream, and she's invested too much time/effort into becoming qualified and registered to abandon things at the first sign of trouble. In terms of casual work, as Rudi said, I think it's a matter of contacting the schools directly and seeing what's available. Looking outside Melbourne is certainly an option available to us, but we'll see how things go with the casual teaching locally before we look further afield. Cheers, 457ScottishExpat Hi ScottishExpat I was teaching in NSW around 3 year ago. I've since moved to Qld and not bothered registering. Love Rudi x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jeza Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 Hi I am relief teaching (casual) in Nz. They are not crying out for teachers here either I'm afraid. Still, that is my experience. I will try to find out more for you. relief teaching is slow in the first and second terms here, and picks up to 2 - 4 days a week in the 3rd and 4th terms. Pay is really good - about $240 per day after taxes. Does anyone know the pay rate for relieving in Victoria casually? Jenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
457ScottishExpat Posted June 15, 2014 Author Share Posted June 15, 2014 Been a long time since I last checked this forum but I thought I'd update this. My now fiancée has been teaching primary in Melbourne full time on a rolling 2 year contract for the last two years and may get permanent at end of year. Things were tough at the beginning - early on she was only getting a day here and there a week but eventually you get known and get a foot in the door with schools if you are doing a good job. Just wanted to post something positive on this topic as I know from this thread that there is a lot of doom and gloom relating to primary teaching jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolvesaussie Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Thats great news. Stuck at it and has been rewarded. Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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