How to register as a teacher?

[Guest David Truelove]

We are visiting Adelaide in about one month on holiday for three weeks and to stamp our perm res visa. We are then planning to return to Australia later in the year to settle. I will be looking to work as a primary school teacher. I have just discovered this website and read about 'registering' as a teacher. Can anyone tell me what I need to do, where to get info and can I get the process started during our holiday? (I already have a positive skills assessment as part of applying for the visa.) Any advice would be a major, major help.

 

David

[Guest Libby1971]

Hi

 

Sadly the positive skills assessment for the visa means nothing to the Teacher Registration Board.

 

You could probably complete your registration while you are here if you start it now.

 

You can go to the TRB website of SA http://www.trb.sa.edu.au/ and download forms for a skills assessment. You can then send copies of all sorts of documents like your passport, degree transcripts, PGCE transcripts etc (all certified of course). You will then be held as an applicant and be advised of your passing of the skills assessment.

 

Before you come, book yourself onto a First Aid Course - only AUS certs are accepted for this, so don't bother doing one in the UK. It costs about $100 - St John Ambulance do one and can give you the certificate on the day if you ask them to. Otherwise you collect the next day.

 

You will also need to book yourself onto a Mandatory Notification Course or Child Protection Course. This is compulsory and different places charge diff amounts- we used a place called Edmund Rice Camps and did the course on a Saturday. You will get your certificate at the end of the day.

 

Then get these certificates copied and certified (Adelaide Council Offices have a Justice of the Peace who will sign docs for free - and these offices are just near the TRB offices). You will need to send a copy of your visa I think but you can check that.

 

Take these copies to the TRB and within a week or so your registration will be complete. And your certificate will be sent out. Oh you need to pay about $200 for the registration.

 

I hope this helps

[Guest David Truelove]

That's really helped! Many thanks for the info. Will do all of that. Dave.

[Guest emmasgran]

We are visiting Adelaide in about one month on holiday for three weeks and to stamp our perm res visa. We are then planning to return to Australia later in the year to settle. I will be looking to work as a primary school teacher. I have just discovered this website and read about 'registering' as a teacher. Can anyone tell me what I need to do, where to get info and can I get the process started during our holiday? (I already have a positive skills assessment as part of applying for the visa.) Any advice would be a major, major help.

 

David

Snap! Hi David I'm hoping to do the same thing as you in May 09. You can download a bundle of stuff from the TRB which details schools and areas etc. I found this equally helpful and confusing. Met a guy at an Immigration show and he sent me a book called "Where to live guide-Adelaide". Which gives loads of info about each suburb, employment prospects, schools etc. A mine of information and brilliant for cross referencing with the TRB info. You can get it from michael.quinton@south-aus.eu. It did take a bit of time to arrive though.

Hope this helps!

Fiona

[Guest Bodie]

David,

I would recommend you contacting your university/training establishment and getting an official academic transcript-not having one of these delayed my registration, if possible get them to specify the no. of hours/weeks etc spent on initial teacher training ( I've been a teacher for just under 20 years and formerly a head of a London Primary and they requested this info from me).

 

Other things to consider - your police check will be okay because you have just been issued your visa, but if you want to work in the Catholic sector they require an SA Police check ( the CEO want it valid in the last 3 months) and a check from their own professional standards board.

 

If you need any info please PM me.

 

Mark

[Beanbear]

How many of the people registered as teachers are actually working and what route did you take to get work? Are those working in the state system or private schools?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Guest Deb17]

Yes, I would like to know that too. There seem to be a lot of teachers either out here already or heading out, but I wonder how many actually have posts, or whether they have had to take a job in a different industry just to survive.

 

I think a lot of primary trained teachers are going to end up like me, feeling very unwanted and disillusioned, because we can't get a job doing what we were trained to do!!! It's all so frustrating!

 

I will always remember doing the Mandated Notification Training day. I sat between two ladies who were doing the course to keep their teacher registration current, but one was selling real estate and the other had her own massage and aromatherapy business! Hardly anyone in the room was working as a REAL teacher.

 

Any replies from actual working teachers in SA primary schools gratefully received...

[Guest Nick11]

Yes, I would like to know that too. There seem to be a lot of teachers either out here already or heading out, but I wonder how many actually have posts, or whether they have had to take a job in a different industry just to survive.

 

I think a lot of primary trained teachers are going to end up like me, feeling very unwanted and disillusioned, because we can't get a job doing what we were trained to do!!! It's all so frustrating!

 

I will always remember doing the Mandated Notification Training day. I sat between two ladies who were doing the course to keep their teacher registration current, but one was selling real estate and the other had her own massage and aromatherapy business! Hardly anyone in the room was working as a REAL teacher.

 

Any replies from actual working teachers in SA primary schools gratefully received...

 

I know of 2 ex pats who have permanent contracts in private schoolS - both secondary teachers and one lady who has a permanent contract with Decs - but special needs trained.

Personally - if I had my choice of oz and wanted to carry on teaching - it wouldn't be in south oz!

Too many teachers -not enough jobs to go round!

[Guest Deb17]

How true! I was considering doing a course in librarianship at TAFE come January. Reckon there are more openings for teacher librarians and from what I've seen so far, such a job comes with the added bonus of not having to plan and mark work for your own class each day...

[Guest emmasgran]

Hi, was slightly disturbed when I read your post. When I was talking to the consulate in London they seemed to think there was plenty of work for primary teachers, particularly in Adelaide as it is a place they want to populate (double edged sword that one). Eek!! I hope I've not made a mistake deciding to come to Adelaide to teach. Where would you suggest in Australia for best chance of primary teaching work?

[Guest Nick11]

Hi, was slightly disturbed when I read your post. When I was talking to the consulate in London they seemed to think there was plenty of work for primary teachers, particularly in Adelaide as it is a place they want to populate (double edged sword that one). Eek!! I hope I've not made a mistake deciding to come to Adelaide to teach. Where would you suggest in Australia for best chance of primary teaching work?

 

I'm sorry - but you've been completly misinformed - whoever told you that ought to be ashamed of themselves. Lots of jobs going in NSW for teachers I believe.

[Beanbear]

I'm sorry - but you've been completly misinformed - whoever told you that ought to be ashamed of themselves. Lots of jobs going in NSW for teachers I believe.

 

Really? Trouble is it's expensive to live in NSW (well Sydney certainly) and on an SIR we can't go there anyway. We are going to look at Qld, although the teaching situation is similar to here and you have to do your country time - grrr!

 

It is very easy to believe the hype that teachers are wanted here as it's on the list and you can emigrate on the basis of it, but the reality is that it is very tricky to get a permanent contract in the state system. I know people tell you to research properly and then this won't come as a shock, but I thought I'd looked into it a lot and I don't think much of the info you can get from the UK was very helpful!

 

However for those who can hang on there will be a lot of babyboomers retiring in the next few years, leaving gaps. BUT they are still training loads of teachers here and it is not a very big place for all those (and us) to have jobs to go around.

 

Still not sure whether to retrain, go into the private sector (if they'll have me) or I don't know what. Can't afford the retraining until I get pr so will have to wait it out I guess.

[Guest Deb17]

If you have a look at websites like SEEK.com and careerone.com.au and search for teaching jobs it will give you a good indicator of where jobs in Oz are. Most that I've found are in country NSW and around some parts of Queensland. I have been here two years and have GIVEN up looking for a teaching post. I'm either going to have to go into childcare of some kind or look for a teaching post in another state. Whatever they tell you at the consulate or jobs fairs in the UK you have virtually no chance of getting a mainstream teaching job in Adelaide. They MAY want teachers in the future but until they build new schools for the growing population there isn't any demand for primary teachers, and especially UK trained ones. Secondary teachers yes, primary no. Wish I had known that a few years ago instead of being suckered in...but it appears I'm not the only one, so now I don't feel so bad.

[Guest emmasgran]

Thanks for your advice. The picture being painted in the UK seems to be very different from the one you are all experiencing there. It actually sounds like the exact same situation that we have right now in teaching ie waiting for folks to retire, there will be a demand in the future due to rising population etc hundreds of people being trained but no jobs. Right now, in Scotland, there are approx 500 applications for each post!! It's crazy not to mention rather depressing. Makes me wonder if giving up a permanent post to come to Aus is a wise move to make. Probably still will though.

Fiona

[Guest monicadoherty]

I am a teacher from Scotland and have worked consistently since arriving last year...TRT then three contracts. Last contract began in Jan and lasts this year then I will apply for perm. I am a primary teacher as well as Special Needs being my specialist which really helps. Its hard but you have to sell yourself when you come out..it does wonders for your self esteem and now Ive been but on a leadership course which I wasn't too confident to put my hand up for in Scotland...Its brill here..come soon

[Guest Deb17]

I am a teacher from Scotland and have worked consistently since arriving last year...TRT then three contracts. Last contract began in Jan and lasts this year then I will apply for perm. I am a primary teacher as well as Special Needs being my specialist which really helps. Its hard but you have to sell yourself when you come out..it does wonders for your self esteem and now Ive been but on a leadership course which I wasn't too confident to put my hand up for in Scotland...Its brill here..come soon

 

Can I ask Monica whereabouts you live and what schools you have worked in? Did you get these contracts through the schools where you'd done TRT work or through DECS itself?

I haven't heard a thing from anyone since before Christmas and have completely given up now. I know I was only registered with four local schools but nobody has contacted me since the new year despite me e-mailing them to tell them I am still available. I thought about re-registering with the Noarlunga cluster but when I did that briefly before they kept ringing me in the morning even when I told them I had to be given notice the day before, because I've got kids and need to get organized! Also, I was entirely put off by snotty pain in the ass teachers, (mainly) awful kids and the total lack of organization or 'real' teaching being done in the schools.

[Guest Nick11]

I am a teacher from Scotland and have worked consistently since arriving last year...TRT then three contracts. Last contract began in Jan and lasts this year then I will apply for perm. I am a primary teacher as well as Special Needs being my specialist which really helps. Its hard but you have to sell yourself when you come out..it does wonders for your self esteem and now Ive been but on a leadership course which I wasn't too confident to put my hand up for in Scotland...Its brill here..come soon

 

Big congrats - its nice to hear of a teacher actually getting a perm contract. I suspect though it's because of you being a special needs specialist. As I said in my last post -the only perm teacher I know of with Decs had special needs training.

[Guest monicadoherty]

Hi there

Got lucky with DECS first time round with TRT as my friend works there and recommended me...other schools where I get most of my work are Catholic..this is my chosen path as I quickly realised that with DECS you are just a number and I had more chance in this system. Kept myself to three or four schools as I hated DECS phoning me up and posting me anywhere after being sent to a certain school in Hallett Cove. I live in Sheidow Park. The DECS contracts were through a school itself and the otherone was Catholic SEN and I applied for that when advertised and got it...love it and that is now where I will stay for the time being. The other two days I am off I still do TRT and have been averaging a 4/5 day week .Emailing schools isn't as good as phoning them up or visiting. Once you are in you are in. Now cause I am limited to 2 free days it can be difficult to get work but I send a text message to remind them I am free the next day. At the beginning I had to bite the bullet and arrange childcare even though I might not be working all the time. It gave me flexibility to visit schools if I wasn't working. A gamble but it slowly paid off. Now my kids are in OSCH I just turn up in the morning if I have been phoned...no probs

Hope this helps...Monica

[Guest Nick11]

Hi there

Got lucky with DECS first time round with TRT as my friend works there and recommended me...other schools where I get most of my work are Catholic..this is my chosen path as I quickly realised that with DECS you are just a number and I had more chance in this system. Kept myself to three or four schools as I hated DECS phoning me up and posting me anywhere after being sent to a certain school in Hallett Cove. I live in Sheidow Park. The DECS contracts were through a school itself and the otherone was Catholic SEN and I applied for that when advertised and got it...love it and that is now where I will stay for the time being. The other two days I am off I still do TRT and have been averaging a 4/5 day week .Emailing schools isn't as good as phoning them up or visiting. Once you are in you are in. Now cause I am limited to 2 free days it can be difficult to get work but I send a text message to remind them I am free the next day. At the beginning I had to bite the bullet and arrange childcare even though I might not be working all the time. It gave me flexibility to visit schools if I wasn't working. A gamble but it slowly paid off. Now my kids are in OSCH I just turn up in the morning if I have been phoned...no probs

Hope this helps...Monica

 

I've seen a few cracking jobs in catholic schools - but not having a priest as a reference is a major problem.

Like Deb we're on 495s so can't afford osch fulltime as we don't get any rebates - however- that said - if I had no kids TRT would be a viable option.

Good luck and hope you get :)a permanent contract soon

Nick

x

[Guest trudge]

I have been here just over 2 months. I was a secondary maths teacher in U.K. Once my registration came through i signed up with Switch recruitment and got regular calls for work in the private schools.

I also applied online to DECS for permanent work and relief teaching. I also joined the Tea Tree Gully teacher relief scheme which is mainly for the Primary schools in this area (about 40 - 50 schools). A bloke called Tim who organises the work on this scheme rang almost every day with offers of relief work but i was normally already working for Switch. I did do one day in a Primary school which was a bit of a shock to the system coming from a secondary school background.

I was then contacted by DECS and have a couple of months contract in a high school teaching Maths. i have been told this could well be extended.

I have met quite a few relief teachers who do get regular work and this is the best way to get into contracts. So there is work around.

[Guest whidborne]

Hi,

 

I'm a secondary school teacher here in Adelaide, I arrived last july 07 and had a teaching job since oct 07.

Once registered what you need to do is get copies of your CV, registration, first aid cert, DECs letter, child mand forms, everything. Then drive around all the schools and give them all copies. The schools will then have you on record for TRT work (supply work). This is the best way to get work, pays well, and gets you known to all the schools, then when a school has a contract to offer and if they like you they will fight to get you.

DECs may try to get another teacher appointed, but if you make a really good impression as a TRT the school will write the job description to match you and only you.

Also DECs is now insisting every teacher puts their CV on line, so ensure your registration is done on their website.

Also, contracts do not mean you have a permanent job, it is only for a specified time, permanancy, anything from 3 to 10 years,is harder to get.

Try schools that are in socio/economic deprived areas, e.g. northern suburbs, they usually have more vacancies, and don't be put off by the fact they are in northern suburbs, I've work in good and bad schools in the UK, and I have to say the "bad" schools here are a breeze compared to UK, the staff are friendlier too.

Hope this helps.

Michelle

[Guest Libby1971]

When we registered, we too joined Switch.

 

OH got a bit of work through them...he is primary trained. We were renting in Sheidow Park and he was always sent to the north of the city. Woodforde, Golden Grove, etc. Lockleys was as close to our side of town as he ever got.

 

I had 1 days as TRT (secondary school teacher) - I had to teach Japanese to children at a private school in Glenelg in years R-6. The age group I have absolutely no experience of teaching.

 

From there I got a contract north of the city. I got it because I was the only person on Switch's books who specifically menioned RE. My subject and the school wanted someone who could.

 

I had 6 days TRT end of Oct/ beg of November and then nothing at all from 6th Nov onwards. Demoralising as I was ready and raring to go. I applied for a job in March, got an interview and was offered the job, starting in April. It is at a Catholic school and they knew the people I had given as referees. So again, the who you know thing really gives new meaning to the phrase.

 

I would encourage you to stick it out. Me? I put a bit of slap on, a smartish outfit and walked into as many schools as I could asking the name of the TRT co-ordinator. I wrote their name on the envelope I had with me which had a copy of my CV, Teacher Registration, First Aid certificate and DECS clearance. I asked to see them if they were available and had some teaching from it. Not as much as I had hoped but in term 4 the year 12s and year 11s go on study leave due to exams early in the term so all those staff are available.

 

Good luck. It took me a year to be working in teaching.

 

Libby

[Guest emmasgran]

Well done Monica! I'm so glad you've got work and all is going well. I can't wait to get out there despite having some wobbles when I found out a little more about the job situation from the folk on the ground.

Cheers

Fiona

[Guest Deb17]

It does seem that most opportunities are in the north, nearer the city and in the Catholic schools. I think, like Nick said, it's hard to break into private teaching not having a priest who will do a ref for you, and not having exp. in Catholic schools. It's also a disadvantage being out in the sticks way down south and there are never any contracts in the 'southern sea and vines' schools. Funny how this is the area most families from the UK seem so lately to be attracted to settling in. I would move anywhere for a perm post but just to do TRT, no way. You have to think about moving all your stuff again, finding a rental to move into and the worst thing is dragging your kids out of their school and settling them in somewhere else. Oh to be young, free and single again! The responsibility of it all!

[Guest Bodie]

Have to agree, the beauratic red-tape getting registered is a nightmare. Eg.I had to get my university to produce written evidence that I had completed enough hours on my PGCE almost 20 years ago, to say my blood boiled is an understatement but it never helps to shoot the messenger. Andrew Dowling was sympathetic and helpful and used my previous experience as proof of being qualified. (I had been a head of an inner London school prior to arrival in Adelaide). I have applied for teaching positions and been knocked back prior to departure. I found the Catholic Education Office to be really helpful, they allocated a mentor for me and invited me on INSET to get me up to speed. At the time of writing I anm preparing to commence a contract position as an assistant principal. My advice. Keep plugging away, perseverence does pay off...after all it is what we encourage our kids to do ever day isn't it?

If any prespective teachers need any assiatance pleas don't hesitate to pm me.

Mark