Scientists, musicians, lawyers and engineers are among 171 new teachers stepping into the classroom this year as part of the latest intake of Teach For Australia’s Leadership Development Program.
Australia’s leading employment-based pathway into teaching, the Leadership Development Program (LDP) matches talented career changers and high-achieving graduates with hard-to-fill teaching positions in communities where they are needed. The LDP gives them ongoing professional development to maximise impact.
As the program’s newest Associates begin their classroom careers, applications have opened for next year’s intake.
“We are so excited to welcome Cohort 2021, our largest yet, and bring 171 new faces into a growing community that is working together to tackle educational disadvantage in Australia,” CEO Melodie Potts Rosevear said.
“This year marks our twelfth cohort of the Leadership Development Program and these Associates are teaching in 89 schools across Tasmania, Western Australia, Northern Territory, Victoria and – for the first time – South Australia.
“Almost 70 per cent of our Cohort 2021 Associates are teaching in schools in regional, rural or remote locations where subject specialists can be hard to secure, and just over 50 per cent are qualified to teach STEM subjects, helping to fill vacancies where significant shortages persist.”
“Since 2010, 1120 teachers have come to the classroom via Teach For Australia, teaching an estimated 350,000 students and taking up our mission to grow a community of education leaders who are committed to educational equity.
“We are hugely proud of our expanding Alumni community and the work they are doing beyond our two-year program to help drive the school and system changes needed to narrow the educational disadvantage gap.
“Twelve years on, 84 per cent continue to teach and lead in schools or work with other education-focused organisations and departments and this includes a number of Teach For Australia deputy principals and principals serving communities where the need is greatest.
“Students are at the heart of our work and we can’t wait to see how our Cohort 2021 Associates create positive impacts for the children and school communities alike.
“Applications are now open for Cohort 2022 intake, so if you have a passion for making a difference and ensuring quality education is available to all children and young people across Australia, we’d love to hear from you.”
Leadership Development Program
The Leadership Development Program is Australia’s leading employment-based pathway to teaching. Associates teach eight days a fortnight on two year placements while completing a Masters in Teaching (Secondary) (Professional Practice) with ACU.
To be accepted to the program, Associates must have a Bachelor’s Degree in an area other than teaching and complete a rigorous application and selection process. Teach For Australia then works closely with partner schools to match the skills and subject expertise of Associates with existing teacher vacancies.
The Leadership Development Program is delivered with funding from the Australian Government’s High Achieving Teachers Program and support from State and Territory Governments.
Teach For Australia
Teach For Australia is an innovative education-focused charity established in 2009.
Our vision is of an Australia where education gives every child, regardless of background, greater choice for their future.
As well as the flagship Leadership Development Program, Teach For Australia has created and implemented professional development programs for mid-career teachers who are on a pathway to school leadership.
More information can be found on our website.
