Hi everyone

This is the first time I've posted. We arrived in Australia 2 July 2005, stayed in NSW for 5wks (my sister lives there) before venturing over to Adelaide. We have been in Adelaide for 6wks now and we really do like it but for one thing .... my husband's a teacher and it doesn't look like he will get a job in the public system come Jan 2006 ... unemployed Secondary Science & ICT teacher of all things ... I thought they needed science teachers.

I took the kids to get some new shoes last week and the lady that served us was a Victoria trained school teacher ... couldn't get a job here in SA, so ended up for the past couple of years working in a shoe shop.

I have managed to land a job (I'm not a teacher) luckily as finances are getting very low but I think unless something turns up for my husband to start after the school hols (Jan 2006) we will probably be going home. My husband is getting very fed-up with the whole recruitment process here .. and it's not just SA, it's the same in NSW.

They have a really weird recruitment system based on points .. I won't go into detail, you'll know what I'm talking about if you are a teacher and are in the middle of / or have been through it yourself.

We are keeping all bases open ... he's registered in both NSW and SA and we will move to where the work is (within reason) but after giving up a good job with prospects back home and loving the profession, there's only so much of this hanging about he can do before he will say ... enough!

Just wondered if there were any other teachers out there who were having the same difficulties or had the same emotional rollercoaster?

A very fed-up Teacher's Wife ... with an equally fed up husband!

Sorry can't help much, but I was working in school admin before I came over and naively expected to do the same here... found there was so much red tape, hoops to jump through and hurdles to negotiate that it was just about impossible and I gave up in the end.

I'm pretty sure you will find private school teaching posts advertised in the papers etc rather than everything going via the education dept, have you explored that avenue?

Hope you manage to sort something soon :sign03:


PS guess you've already found this sort of thing on Careerone.com.au

http://jobs.careerone.com.au/texis/jobsear...0&view=1&page=5

http://jobs.careerone.com.au/texis/jobsear...0&view=1&page=3

Hi

Glad you have posted this, I will probably coming over in 2007 so my girlfriend who is a teacher will be doing the same thing, what exactly is the point system you talk about, she is a english teacher. Is it really that hard to find work in SA?

Not the best of news for me to hear, but its better to know of such problems.

russ

Friends of ours both teacher were here for 9 months looking for work. They eventually gave up and went home. :(

I believe that as with a lot of the professions (doctors, police etc), teaching posts are harder to find in the popular metro areas than out in the country. I spoke to a friend here a while back, who told me that newly qualified teachers generally have to be prepared to do at least a couple of years in some tiny outback place just in order to get their feet on the ladder.

However, I do also know of experienced UK teachers who have come over here and managed to find work, even if it has not bee straight away.

Hi Russ

We will be willing to help you out with as much info as we can so that you are prepared ... it's been like drawing teeth trying to find out exactly what the criteria is.

Basically as somebody already mentioned it isn't impossible to get work in the metropolitan area but it's also not very likely, unless you're really lucky i.e. in the right place at just the right time.

What happens is he had to go through all these hoops, you have to register to teach (getting qualifications references, course transcripts etc. re-checked again ... even after already going through the process once with NOOSR), you then apply to DECS to gain your TRT (Temporary Relief Teaching ... you have to get this to be allowed to teach permanently or temporarily) but before he could get his TRT he had to do a 1st aid course (it had to be done in Australia, even though he'd just completed one in the UK before he came and had evidence of such!) , he then also had to do a child protection 1 day course.

There are also 3 different systems here public (state), independent (private) and Catholic. To teach in Catholic schools you have to go through all the above and get another independent Catholic school police check, which takes up to 8wks to go through.

Even after going through all of this (I think I may have missed something ... as he's also been through a right palava getting registered for NSW ... but he's not here to ask at the moment), there's that dreaded points system!

Unlike the UK whereby the public and private schools advertise vacancies via TES and other media, only private and Catholic schools advertise their vacancies here. In the UK the school interviews you and appoints the most suitable candidate.

Here you apply to the education department for public schools and they skill match you against jobs.

Apparently teaching in the metropolitan area of the city is like the "Holy Grail" of teaching and he was told today that it was highly unlikely (unless you were very lucky) to get a job straight away in the met area.

Teachers gain points over the years for time served in public schools and how many points you accumulate depends on the school/area etc. basically if you have been teaching 4-5yrs in a country school (I think it was 4yrs in areas like Coober Pedy or 5yrs in say Port Augusta) then you would go near the top of the list for a placement/transfer into a met school.

The department basically ring teachers up who have put in for a transfer throughout the school system and offer them an alternative post. However, I believe that unlike the UK whereby most people give a terms notice, here they can put a transfer request in at the last minute.

Teachers like my husband with no points accumulated through time served here are at the very back of the queue when the jobs get allocated and usually end up (if they are lucky to even get offered a position) a school within Adelaide suburbs where other teachers don't want to teach or a school in the country somewhere.


There's also the schools choice system, which is just another thing to complicate matters ... I'm getting bogged down in all the detail now so I may leave this for another time!

In NSW it's a similar system (ie. points, appointment by education dept and not the principal of the school), however the major difference re. registration is that overseas qualified teachers have to do a 4wk unpaid orientation course before they are let loose on the kids ... hopefully then they will be lucky enough to get some casual work after completing the course. My husband is going to NSW to do the course in OCT ... it's important that he keeps his options open as much as possible!

Hopefully there will be a countrywide policy that isn't so difficult by the time you come over.

oh my god, how much hassle is that, not looking foward to that. If we don't limit ourselfs to the metropoliton area will she (my girlfriend) have more chance of a job, then?

I think we will probably put down anywhere in SA, I guess my carrear sits on the shelf for a few years. We will be applying for the academic year jan 2008 probably, I think we might just have to try and get into a private school, but that doesn' t accumulate points.

Anyone know what new zealand is like this time of year, that might be an option I thik. :(

Thanks for the response its greatly appreciated.:) And i will most defintley take you up on the help you offered when we get around to applying for jobs/ starting the emmigration process. thanks once again.

p.s please keep me in touch with how you r doing, PM if you dont want to post updates. or if you have any helpfull information :P :D .

russ :)

Hi Russ

Yes I'm sure that she will have more chance of work if you are both prepared to live anywhere in SA, as it's the country schools where the demand is greater.

If you haven't got young children to take out into the back of beyond even better!

If I have any more updates (a job would be great news) I'll let you know. In the meantime if you have any other questions feel free to PM us.

We really wish we knew back then what we know now ... it's always good to be as prepared for the pitfalls as much as possible.

Suzanne

Another point not mentioned above is that the Adelaide area is divided into zones and if applying to teach in State schools you have to state which zones you are prepared to work in. As with all areas there are good schools and bad schools.

If you are offered a position you have two obvious choices - take it or leave it. If you take it you're there for two years. If you turn it down you may or may not get another offer. If you do you have those same two choices once again - take it or leave it.

As above, if you take it you're there for two years. If you leave it again, however, you will not be offered another contract until that school year is over. Two strikes and you're out.

Oh, and if you take a contract and then bail out because you don't like the school guess what - no other job offer that year.

There are school teachers working as welders at the Holden factory as well apparently (info from a BE post last year sometime).

It really sound s like a nightmare system. if we get offered a job we will take it regardless of where it is, I guess I better do the pub course then . :)

Do the points translate from state to state, or would we have to start again say if we went to NSW from sa?

No idea I'm afraid. Each state has it's own system and quirks.

One sure way of getting a permanent job is to move somewhere well away from Adelaide - Pt Augusta, Pt Pirie, Whyalla, Coober Pedy and Pt Lincoln spring to mind as they are fair sized towns. Move here and you'll probaby walk straight into a permanent job, however do you want to move 12000 odd miles to live in a small town in the middle of nowhere with little for you and your family to do?

It's certainly an odd system here.

I guess I may have to fred, where isit you live, we dont have a family its jsut us 2 so living in the country will have to be the option, the only thing is I doubt I will get a job in science there, don' tknow what I would do. :) :blink:

thats nothing all that hassle and the money is terrible, about $30000 starting wage, I was erning 50k in a factory in sydney 10 years ago. When i went back to the uk i did a gtp scheme and have been teaching here for a couple of years. now found out its not recognised outsde the uk. so cant teach in adelaide even if i go through all those hoops. So looking forward to going back to engineering talking to real adults. and not waisting my time after work having meetings about nothing.

steve :yeehah:

Hi
I'm a primary teacher who moved to Adelaide a year ago. Haven't started the process of registration yet as I'm at home with Callum during the day but was hoping to look into this soon and maybe get some part-time work (not overly optimistic about this as part-time work in any profession here seems to be like gold dust from what I've heard)
Best Wishes to all fellow teachers out there!
Susan

OMG! I was a primary deputy headteacher with many years experience in the UK. We moved to Adelaide in May 05. At the moment I am a full time mum but was hoping when my youngest goes to school (which is a few years yet - thank God)that I would get a job teaching here. I can't believe what I have just read on this post - what a performance! I thought SA was short of teachers - I don't know whether I have the stamina to go through all that hassle I think I'll have to become a housewife permenantly.

Anne

Hi everyone

Thanks for all your posts. The salary (we believe) is not quite as bad as $30,000 for experienced teachers, I think hubby was told that he could expect in excess of $50k.

Anne, I wish you all the luck in the world when you do decide to go back into teaching. My husband was a head of 2 years at his school and from what I can gather this doesn't count for much as it's not experience or skills that he gained here but I'm hoping that was misinformation ... otherwise what's the point!

We keep getting told that teacher's are in demand and especially maths, science & ICT teachers ... well hello I think my husband is a science & ICT teacher ... but nobody is banging on our door.

Hubby is going to NSW in OCT to complete the 4wk orientation course there, keeping all options open.

Unfortunately for all concerned though he has to take our kids with him (they're only 3yr & 1yr old) so that my sister can look after them whilst he does the unpaid course and so I can still earn the money to support us all!

Dreading them going as I will miss them like crazy ... the things we have to do!

Suzanne

Sorry only me again ...

All the responses appear to be from teachers not yet working in SA ... I hope this doesn't mean there are no success stories ....

Is there anyone out there that has been through this rigmarole (sp?) and come through the other side that can give us some words of encouragement/advice?

Suzanne

Hi
Have been reading this post with interest. I'm a primary teacher - hoping to head out November time. I've recently applied (two months ago) for my quals to be assessed by SA - still waiting for the response - then have the 2 mini courses to do before I can register to teach. However, just thought I'd add a positive to all of this. I have a friend over there who emigrated 5 years ago. He is a secondary english and drama teacher. He's been working quite happily in teaching over there and although I"m not sure of the timescales I think he found employment pretty quickly. If I find out any more will let you know. I had a little panic reading this thread - giving it the - what else shall I do - but having only been teaching for 3 years - I figure - I'll go with the flow and if teaching doesn't happen - I'm sure something else will (I hope!!)

Janie

From what I gather Primary teachers have never been in demand. UK Key Stage 3 & 4 and Lower KS1 yes, but not Upper KS1 or KS2 equivalents.

Still, it all adds a bit of excitement to the proceedings don't you think!

Hi
I'm a primary school teacher and teacher for deaf children - arrived here a few weeks ago.
It is a nightmare! you think when you've done your skills assessment everything will be fine :68: :68: :68:

I am registered to teach - which I did from England. Now I need an ID number and need to do a first aid course (did it last week) and a child protection course (doing next week).
The whole system is VERY confusing. As far as I'm aware I'll only be able to do supply teaching. Still don't know if I'll be able to find work. I might just approach the nearby schools and all the Special schools directly to find supploy work. Don't know if I'm allowed to!!
I'll let you know what happens in a couple of weeks. I definitely need to work!
There seems to be lots of jobs for pre-school 'directors'.

Mandyxx

Hi Mandy

Good luck with the job-hunting. :dance:

Suzanne

I've gone through the registration process and just need to do the courses now. Mandy where do you go for the child protection course? Must get these booked up.

From my experience it is a really complicated procedure getting registered and even finding out when you're supposed to apply for each bit. I'm hoping to get something for Jan but after reading this post it doesn't sound very likely. Otherwise I'll just try and get some supply work for a while I guess.

Hi Pip + And

Don't know which one of you is the teacher but you asked about the child protection course. Charlie did his through ASK training ... I think that's who everyone goes through?

Their web address is www.askservices.com.au

Hope this helps. Good luck with the job hunting.

Suzanne

Sorry it's Pip. Thanks for that, must get myself booked up on those.

Please let us know if you get a success story. It's all so confusing. I'm trying to look at these round2 applications but it's so different to the UK system that I'm just baffled

Hi Pip

When you say round2 is that those teacher's choice applications? Yes Charlie was looking at those but nothing leapt out and bit his bum ... so to speak!

I think we are very much leaning towards NSW way now but will wait and see what happens. Will certainly let you all know if he's offered a job :dance:

Suzanne

Yeah the teacher's choice thing. Don't suppose your husband knows which forms need to be completed does he. I've been emailed a link with instructions for the whole process only the link doesn't work. I'm just getting so cnfused over it all.

Hi Pippa

The 'Mandatory Notification Training" course (I think it's child ptotection) is a one day course and it's run by the Australian Education Union. They run the course regularly - I'm doing mine on Tuesday. If you want I can let you know when the next ones are. Its free if you're a member of the union - $99 otherwise. But you can actually join the union for $50 if you're unemployed! That's what I did!

The first aid course that you also need is a one day course. I did mine with the Red Cross and it cost $70. They also run those regularly.

Mandyxx

Oooh wish we'd have known that, could have saved $49 .. every little helps!

Before I meant to say school choice not teacher's choice ... teacher's get very little choice!

Something will come up soon ... surely :doh: