READY TO MAKE AN IMPACT?

Be the change you want to see

It’s a sad reality that not every child in Australia has access to the education they deserve. Children from the lowest income households are on average three years behind in school by the time they’re 15. We want to fight educational inequity – and make sure that any student who wants to learn can get access to world-class teachers. And we do that through people like you.

By working with Teach for Australia, you’ll be creating the change you want to see in the world – addressing social injustice around educational inequity, while inspiring the next generation of students.

Our award-winning Leadership Development Program means you’ll work as a teacher in secondary school level classes ranging from Year 7 to Year 12. You’ll get a full salary and benefits for two years, while also studying for a Master’s degree and receiving one-on-one coaching and mentoring.

Teaching to Lead

You’ll be teaching in subject areas that are directly related to your previous studies – whether you’ve just graduated or are more than 10 years out – and you’ll become part of a dedicated community committed to tackling educational inequity.

It’s not just the students who’ll benefit from your impact; you’ll develop and hone your leadership skills on a  personal, professional, and academic level. And after two years on the program, you’ll be an exceptional leader set up for contributing to society and the broader community. Your Teach for Australia experience will be a life-changing one.

Welcome to the team

Teaching isn’t easy. It’s demanding of your time, experience, and patience. But for those up for the challenge – the rewards can truly be life changing. Our program sets a high bar too but we set you up for success with a comprehensive network to support your professional development and to help maintain your health and wellbeing. You’ll be working with a great team of supporters including your:

Teaching and Leadership Adviser (TLA)

An experienced teacher who will provide rigorous one-on-one coaching, regular classroom observations and pastoral care to guide your development as a teacher and leader throughout the program.

ACU Academic Mentor

They will support and supervise your progress throughout the degree and guide your achievement of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

School Mentor

This is an experienced teacher at your placement school who will provide day-to-day practical support and help with integration into life at the school and within the local community.

We’d also encourage you to get involved with the Teach For Australia community – a national network of leaders who share best practice, emotional support, and collaboration towards achieving change. Associates can also connect with the global network of leaders around the world as part of the Teach For All network, with ACU Student Services, and our Alumni so you can discuss international education and classroom best practice, school leadership, social innovation, and policy.

Earn a fully salary while you learn

You’ll earn while you learn too. Associates’ salaries are easily comparable to other graduate teachers and increase with experience and progression.

During the program, Associates are employed and paid by the relevant government department of education or school. So do keep in mind that salaries and other employment conditions will vary depending on the state, territory of placement you teach in.

Most program costs are covered by Teach For Australia, in partnership with the Australian Government, on an assisted scholarship. But you will need to contribute a portion towards your Master’s degree, and there’s usually access to FEE-HELP for these payments available (eligibility requirements apply).

Ready to Apply

Before you apply for the Leadership Development Program, you’ll have to meet four conditions and be:

• An Australian citizen or Permanent Resident at time of applying. (New Zealand citizens must have Australian Permanent Residency at the time of applying)
• Qualified at a Bachelor degree level in a discipline other than teaching by end of the year you apply in
• Willing to accept a placement within the state or territory chosen for you
• Able to enroll in at least two learning areas (you can learn more about these requirements here or contact a Recruitment and Advocacy Manager.)

In order to be eligible to enroll in a particular learning area, you must meet minimum requirements of both number of units studied and content requirements. We are not able to take experience into account when determining learning areas.

Click to learn more about the learning area requirements, or contact a Recruitment and Advocacy Manager.

Our 2 year program is made up of several components to make sure you’re well supported and set up for success.

Teach For Australia Associates don’t start out as teachers. In fact, they come from all academic disciplines and career backgrounds. Throughout our selection process, we look out for eight competencies that we know help make excellent teachers and leaders.

Here’s a quick overview of the selection process and what we’re looking for.

Register your interest

Register your interest here and a Teach For Australia recruitment team will get in touch to help you through the application process. We strongly encourage you to attend an application workshop before submitting your application so that you have the best chance of success.

Online application & assessment

This is a great opportunity to explain why you want to participate in the program and to showcase your experience. We want to get to know more about you as a person, so you’ll be offered an interview (via video call) if your online application is successful.

Selection Day

If you progress to this stage, you’ll be invited to a day of assessment activities including a sample teaching lesson, a mock parent-teacher interview, and group activities. These will be hosted virtually (via Zoom) or in-person wherever possible. You’ll be continually assessed, and have several opportunities to demonstrate your motivations, skills, and experiences.

We’re looking for candidates with these 8 key attributes:

Leadership

We are looking for people from a range of backgrounds with diverse leadership experience. Successful candidates can tell us about when they’ve led others or themselves towards a project goal or outcome. They also can demonstrate a range of leadership practices they have used to guide themselves, a project or a team towards a common goal.

Most importantly, good leadership is all about knowing the contribution you made to others—and we are looking for individuals who can talk about their impact in meaningful ways.

Commitment to Vision & Mission

We are looking for applicants who have a passion for educational equity and a commitment to our work. We believe that teaching and learning go beyond the classroom and to create true change it is important to work with our communities to learn from them.

Successful candidates are able to demonstrate they believe that all children can learn and are eager to work with communities to make sustainable change.

Learning & Self Evaluation

We are looking for applicants who constantly and accurately reflect on their practice and seek feedback from others, both managers and peers. It’s from this reflection they are driven to improve.

Successful candidates are able to demonstrate their ability to take ownership of their personal development and performance. They can identify their strengths and areas for improvement and how these can influence the outcome of a situation.

Resilience

The Leadership Development Program can be difficult, so we are looking for applicants who embrace challenges and constantly look to strengthen their capacity to overcome them.

Successful candidates are able to show us how they’ve been able to successfully overcome professional and personal challenges and that they know when to ask for help.

Problem Solving

Teachers need to quickly gather information about their students and be able to adapt their plans accordingly. Problem solving is a key skill for our Associates.

Successful candidates are able to both analyze problems thoughtfully and also use that information to create thoughtful solutions. We are looking for applicants who can be responsive and adaptive—especially in challenging situations.

Planning & Organisation

Teachers have multiple competing priorities day-to-day and, in addition, Associates complete a Masters course alongside their teaching load. It’s important that our Associates are able to effectively juggle these tasks and prioritise their well-being.

Successful candidates are able to tell us about how their systems create efficiency for them.

We are looking for applicants who can demonstrate an ability to manage multiple tasks at one time and who are always prepared for what’s to come—and who know how to change the plan when required.

Humility, Respect & Empathy

Associates in the Leadership Development Program join diverse communities: in the classroom, in their school, and as part of their cohort. This diversity helps create an enriching learning experience during the program—and is why Associates need to be able to respectfully collaborate with a wide range of individuals.

Successful candidates appreciate other people’s perspectives and look to learn from them. We are looking for applicants who recognise their limitations and take an asset-based approach in all situations.

Communication & Influencing

Clear communication is essential to great teaching. Teachers clearly explain the content and can adapt their style to meet their students’ needs.

Successful candidates are able to clearly communicate their ideas to a variety of audiences across the selection process. We are looking for candidates who have the maturity and presence and can adapt their communication as a result of actively listening to their audience.

If you’re successful on Selection Day, we’ll extend you a conditional offer. Next comes placement in a real school – and this is where your skills really get a chance to shine. We place Associates exclusively in schools serving low socioeconomic communities, working in the regions and communities that need the most support.

Working in close collaboration with fellow Associates, teachers, school leaders and the community, you’ll usually be placed with other Associates within the same school, or in schools nearby.

The placement process begins in September and runs through until December. Once you’ve been placed, we encourage you to get in touch with your school and plan for potential relocation before starting teaching in early 2023. (Some Associates may start training at National Initial Intensive before their placement is confirmed.)

Learn more at one of our events

The best way to find out if this is the program for you is to join us at an information session or workshop. You’ll learn more about our work, the program and what we look for in applicants.