Non teaching positions in schools

[Guest texas]

Hi there,

 

We are moving to Adellaide in October. I will eventually be looking for employment in a school as either an office administrator/finance or in the classroom as a teaching assitant. I have worked in both positions in schools and only want part time work.

 

I have looked on the SA Government Web site for jobs, but unlike here, where there are Lots of jobs adevertised every month in Hampshire, there have been only two in the whole of SA!!!! I am not desperate to start work straight away but this is the environment I want to be in and I am worried that if I cannot get work I will get bored!!! Does anyone out there know where else non-teaching jobs in schools would be advertised or should I just send my CV to the schools. I will obviously be a very willing parent helper when I get there as I like to get involved, so maybe I will find something this way.

 

Any feedback is appreciated!!!

 

Thanks

[cormcvcr]

Hi there,

 

I also worked as a classroom assistant and a special needs assistant for 2 years. I am volunteering within the local school and Kindy, but as yet to no avail.

 

The positions are called SSO's and it is easier to get in through a kindy that into a school (this coming straight from the school). It has got to do with the ratio of children to staff, they don't have to replace a school worker, but they do have to replace a kindy worker for sickness etc. If you get an SSO number through a Kindy, you are then eligible to register with DECS for any teaching assistant jobs that may be available, ie p/t, f/t or casual.

 

You can also put your name down at other childcare centres for relief staff, that way they call you when they need someone and you can dictate to them when and how often you are available too.

 

Pretty much every school and kindy over here has an abundance of parent helpers across the board, so personally it is pretty damn difficult to get anything as there are so many others willing to do it for free!!

 

But good luck, there are a couple of teachers on here too, so they will be able to help also. But as I said the information I got was when I asked at the school and that was the response I got.

[Guest jojo]

Hi

Yes as previously said its really hard to get a job in school and I havent found any jobs since I have been here. They do advertise some after school club jobs but none in school hours. I was a Teaching assistant in the Uk for 5 years and did some High level TA as well, but thats not recognised here. Parents go in and help, they do something called learning assistance programme where they do one to one work or a small group work with the children outside the classroom, so if parents go in for free they arent going to pay people like us to go in:sad:

i have registered with a few nurserys and have had my qualifications assessed by TAFE. when you get here try and get your first aid certificate and do a child protection course all of which will help you. TAFE will give you the numbers when you go to them..

 

so while I am still looking I am applying for jobs in my previous career Banking.

 

i do go into my girls school and listen to children read and help with art for 2 mornings a week, so its good to see how the school runs in comparison to the UK and I think thats what you have to do to get your foot in the door, so to speak.

 

good luck it will work out for you.

 

Jo xx:)

[Guest Deb17]

Hiya,

Out here all non-teaching posts are labelled SSO's or school services officers and come with a lot of jargon labels and skill requirements you have to satisfy. I considered applying for them myself as I'm a teacher who can't get a teaching post and still wanted to work in a school, as a teaching assistant or in a school library, but there wasn't anything suitable even for me. The one way in perhaps is to volunteer and get your face 'known' and get experience in SA schools in the hope that a suitable vacancy will turn up for you. But as other people have said, they won't pay people to do jobs when they have so many 'do-gooding' volunteers. I am now so desperate for work I am considering going to TAFE in 2009 to do the Cert III in Children's Services - which is a lot lower level qualification than my degree and post-grad. cert. but which is a legal requirement out here if you want to work as a qualified person in a childcare setting or kindy. It's utterly ludicrous the hoops you're made to jump through when you're obviously perfectly capable. (FUME!!!)

Good Luck.

Deb17x

[Guest texas]

Thanks Deb,

 

I think I will just concentrate on looking for a school office job as this is where most of my experience is, ie - clerical/finance/IT. I did my NVQ in Childcare Learning and Development, just in case I couldn't get an office job and I would have another option. Looks as though I might have to retire early! I had better warn my husband, as a job that isn't in a school is out of the question until my son reaches school leaving age (another 6 years!) I have always worked in a school so that I have been there for him in the summer hols etc, wouldn't want him to have to go to after school clubs etc... (which he hates) and summer camps unless he wanted to, as this would mean that his life would change for the worse and we are hoping for a better life in Oz. Never mind, thanks for the reply and I am sure you will get something soon with your qualifications. Good luck...

 

Carole

[Guest Libby1971]

Hi Carole

 

There are non-teaching jobs available in schools but they are few and far between. Clearly they are popular for the same reasons you like them and therefore there is no shortage of applicants.

 

Private schools are almost all religious as well and some schools may not be as quick to employ you without a reference from the parish priest/ vicar/ minister.

 

Libby

[Guest texas]

Thanks Libby,

 

Can I just ask, are you Libby from the 'down under' programme? Settled in Reynella and teaches RE? Hope you don't think I am being rude, I just remember the programme. Obviously we watched most of them!!!!! If you are - are you settled and happy now - didn't you get a dog and called it Alfie? Our son is called Alfie! :-) Our friends have just arrived in Adelaide and their first impressions are loving it! We are coming out in October and I am still very nervous, and excited! My husband starts his new job in October and they are re-locating us, so I suppose we are very lucky in that sense. I am just so involved with the school life over here, ie pta and stuff that there will be a big hole to fill. I am sure that intially there will be so much to do and sort out that I will be very busy anyway. Nice to hear from you and thanks for your input every bit of info is appreciated.

 

Regards,

 

Carole

[Guest Nick11]

Thanks Libby,

 

Can I just ask, are you Libby from the 'down under' programme? Settled in Reynella and teaches RE? Hope you don't think I am being rude, I just remember the programme. Obviously we watched most of them!!!!! If you are - are you settled and happy now - didn't you get a dog and called it Alfie? Our son is called Alfie! :-) Our friends have just arrived in Adelaide and their first impressions are loving it! We are coming out in October and I am still very nervous, and excited! My husband starts his new job in October and they are re-locating us, so I suppose we are very lucky in that sense. I am just so involved with the school life over here, ie pta and stuff that there will be a big hole to fill. I am sure that intially there will be so much to do and sort out that I will be very busy anyway. Nice to hear from you and thanks for your input every bit of info is appreciated.

 

Regards,

 

Carole

 

Yep that's our Libby.

And as for Alfie!!!!! He's more like a pony than a dog - bless him!

[Guest Libby1971]

Nick :biglaugh: Yes we are the nutters who took part in WDU. We had already applied for our visa when the chance came up to visit - for me and the girls it was a fab opportunity as we hadn't visited Oz at all. However, Brisbane wasn't for us, and we knew that within days, hours even. Adelaide is right for us, and I can't imagine living anywhere else althgouh Queensland is attractive right now as we have had some dodgy winter weather.

 

Nick's right, my dog is a beastie now. More like Clifford the Big Red Dog than a 15 month old pup. But he has a heart of gold, even if you can't quite see it under all his fur. He is falling over right now - he made himself dizzy chasing his tail for ten mins, growling at it!!!!! I so wish I was joking. Alfie is such a cute name...

 

 

All the best hun for your move, anything else I can do, just shout

Libby

[Guest texas]

Thanks Jo,

 

I'm sure that initially I will be very busy looking for schools, new home etc.... Hopefully something will come up, otherwise early retirement it is!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks again

 

Carole

[Guest Deb17]

Carole, just a thought I had. If you have an NVQ in childcare then you can always have a go at getting the authorities to assess it, to see if it's comparable with the Cert III out here. If it was a two year course it might be, then you'd be in a position to apply for kindy and childcare centre jobs too.

Deb x

[Guest texas]

Thanks Nick,

 

I thought so!!! I love this site it is a great way of keeping in touch and resourceful!

 

Carole

[Guest texas]

Hi Deb,

 

That's a good idea, I don't know whether they recognise our City & Guilds qualifications in Oz. It is a course that takes as long as you want it to, up to 3 yrs. I did it is 6 months along with 6 hours a week in the classroom in the afternoons, as I worked in the office in the mornings. I have all my First Aid Qualifications up to date and valid for 2 more years, do they recognise our First Aid in Schools Certificates over there. I did the full four day course. Also I have had a day training, for Child Protection, although I didn't get a certificate for that. It does sound similar, I will have to wait until I get out there and see.

 

Thanks Deb

 

Carole

[Guest texas]

Thanks again Libby,

 

I loved your episode as we knew we were going to Adelaide at this point, so it was more interesting than the others (we watched both the original when you went to Brisbane and the follow up when you moved to Adelaide). I hope you are not missing your family as much as you were and have made loadsa friends. Everyone seems to be very friendly, must be the sunshine?!! You say you have had some dodgy weather? When I have looked on the BBC Weather site it always seems to be sunny!

 

Anyway, thanks again.

 

Carole

[Guest Deb17]

Sadly, I doubt very much Carole that they will recognize your First Aid certificate or Child Protection course. I had to do the day courses in both First Aid and Mandated Notification and I imagine it'd be the same for you - it's one of their 'legal requirements' that MUST be completed. But again, it wouldn't hurt to show them when you get here, would it? They also SHOULD recognize your City & Guilds qualifications. Perhaps you should get in touch with the Overseas Qualifications Service/Skills Recognition Support Services in Adelaide and see if they have any helpful suggestions...you can e-mail them at srss@saugov.sa.gov.au - get them to get off their overpaid public servant backsides and do some real work for a change!

[Guest Em76]

I am also a teacher and hoping to do the one day courses when I arrive in January. A couple of silly questions but here goes anyway

1) do you have to pay to complete the courses

2) how often do they run them and is there a long waiting list

Thanks for the help

Em x

[Guest Deb17]

Hi Em,

Yes you do have to pay to do both courses, I can't remember what they cost though, about 90 bucks for one and I've forgotten the other cost but I think it was more expensive. If you do a websearch for Mandatory Notification training in Adelaide you'd be able to find providers - mine was done through Edmund Rice Camps and I did the First Aid through the St. John's Ambulance, so if you find both of those websites you should be able to find the dates of the scheduled courses - they have to run them about once a month I think because people have to renew them every three years - I had to wait about two months to get onto one so I should look into it now. Hope that's been of some use, if a bit vague... All the best!

Deb x

[Guest Em76]

Thanks for the help and advice Deb, will look into it straight away,

Em x

[Guest Libby1971]

Advice given re courses is really good. We also used Edmund Rice Camps which cost about $80 or more if you paid for lunch. St Johns Ambulance first aid course cost $100. The first aid courses are not run as frequently as the mandatory child protection but they do larger groups. Child Protection courses are run all over the city by a number of providers, which the TRB can supply details of.

 

Your Child Protection Course from the UK will not be valid here as it is procedures in Adelaide/ SA that they want to bring you up to speed on. Each state here is different.

 

My friend booker herself onto these courses while still in the UK and took them when she was here on a reccie. You'll get certs the same day or next day.

 

All people who work with children have to have these courses. If you are a receptionist, teacher or nurse, you all do the same basic courses. Your school has to provide evidence that you possess these courses and that they have been renewed or your registration ceases and they get fined.

 

Libby

[Lazy Cow]

. I am now so desperate for work I am considering going to TAFE in 2009 to do the Cert III in Children's Services - which is a lot lower level qualification than my degree and post-grad. cert. but which is a legal requirement out here if you want to work as a qualified person in a childcare setting or kindy.

 

I worked at a couple of childcare centres and met a surprising amount of teachers who although they had taught for many a year, still had to take their Cert III to allow them to be paid/take the responsibilities of a qualified chidcare worker. Sounds nuts, but two that I asked felt that the Cert had been helpful in bringing them up to speed with current thought and practice. For example I had not realised that you are (according to my centre manager) not supposed to tell the children they are 'good'. I always praise the action,or behaviour rather than blanket praise, but I hadn't realised that calling a toddler a 'good' boy/girl was a no-no!

 

I am an SSO. As with many things in Adelaide, it can be who as much as what you know. My OH was talking family to a colleague at work whose partner, it turned out, is the principal of a local unit focussed on high school kids who need a little extra help to access the school environmant. She then contacted me and put me through the SSO registration process. From which I have learnt that if you can offer skills or experience working with kids with disabilities you are more likely to find work. As someone said, an 'ordinary' (poor choice of word but hopefully you know what I mean!) SSO need not be replaced if they are off sick, whereas an SSO who works with kids with disabilities has to be. Depending on the nature of the disability, the hourly rate can be higher by as much as $4ph.

 

Once you have an SSO number, there are some office/admin jobs that are only advertised internally, so it really is a stroke of luck if you can get that magic number! Mind you, even then the slog is not over. A contract position is highly sought after and hard to find. They tend to be term only contracts -but I heard that is much the same as the UK now isn't it?

Good luck!

:wubclub:LC

[Guest caoimhe]

Yes we are the nutters who took part in WDU.

Libby

Hey Libby

I didn't realise it was you on the follow up show. I seen that one- as I was really pleased to see you moved to Adelaide as we knew we were hoping to go there

[Guest Deb17]

Thanks LC,

So I'm not the only one who's been driven to desperate measures then...the longer I live here the more I think the Aussies need to get a little flexibility into their rules and regulations if they want to utilise the skilled workers they actually sponsored in the first place!

I'm glad you've found something useful to do with your time anyway, but as you say, it can be who you know, not what. You were pretty fortunate to get your foot in the door. I don't have experience as such with kids with disabilities - only EAL speakers really, and even that seems to have gone unrecognized in my job applications, so I guess I wouldn't be any good at the kind of job you've been able to do. I think the Cert III is my only way in. But thanks again and all the best.

Deb x

[Liz and Kris UK]

Hiya all,

I have just done my mandatory qualification it cost $80 its all day and the st Johns was $162 for the 2 days but I think you can also do it over 3 days but I wanted it out of the way! They do get booked up but if st Johns is full you can always do the course with the red cross.

I am in the same situation at the min with jobs, I have an NVQ3 in early years and education and had it assesed before we arrived, they have only classed it as a certificate 4 over here which isnt the diploma level so you are classed as unqualified.

I have been told to take all my work that I did to a lady at the uni in croyden to see what I need to do to make it the diploma, I think she said you have to do observations- however its finding a nursey that will let you do that.

I have signed up with select at the moment, but in the uk worked for 4 years as a special needs ta so I am hoping I can find a special school here as I dont want to lose my skills in braille and makaton. I will post again on here when I know what work is required to top up NVQ's to diploma and any other info I find out.

 

Liz