Transitioning teachers begin in NSW schools

The first cohort of professionals transitioning to teaching careers have commenced work in NSW public schools.

Twenty-eight experienced industry specialists have started working part-time in NSW public schools as educational para-professionals, as they complete their training to become fully qualified teachers. A further 17 will start in schools over the coming months.

These mid-career professionals join the more than 4400 teachers who have already entered the workforce after attaining accreditation this year.

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell welcomed the program’s first cohort and said it was exciting to see a high calibre of people choosing to transition to teaching.

“The mid-career professionals starting in schools across the state are bringing real-life industry experience from a variety of backgrounds into NSW classrooms — they are chemical engineers, university lecturers and even aircraft maintenance managers,” she said.

“Modernising the teaching profession means tearing down barriers for mid-career people who want to enter the profession and creating more career opportunities for people already teaching.”

Mitchell said the program was part of a wider strategy to attract and grow the supply of teachers in high-demand subjects.

“We are excited to welcome a further 3000 teachers by the end of the year and remain committed to futureproofing and growing the workforce, especially specialists in mathematics, science and technology and applied studies.

“As well as attracting mid-career professionals into teaching, we are retraining and upskilling more teachers to specialise in these subjects, and providing targeted teaching support for students in the places it is needed.”

Fadzli Bin Abdul Rahman, who will take up a teaching position with North Sydney Boys High School after more than a decade working as a chemical engineer, said he was looking forward to having a positive impact on young people’s lives.

“I can give my future students an insight into my experiences and provide them real-life examples and link the abstract subject to real-world problems,” he said.

“I’m very excited to be part of the education sector and I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge, teaching the younger generation, and learning together with them to build a sustainable and eco-friendly future for our nation.”

To help boost the supply of Technological and Applied Studies (TAS) teachers, the mid-career program is also expanding to include a Bachelor pathway.

“This will give trade professionals working in carpentry, plumbing, electrical or automotive mechanical fields, who might not have an undergraduate degree, a new pathway into teaching,” Mitchell said.

The next round of applications for the mid-career program is open from 18 July to 11 September, with successful candidates due to commence their studies in 2023.

Applications for 470 teaching scholarships have also recently opened to bolster the number of teachers in NSW public schools, including individual programs specialised for maths, industry professionals or career changers, Aboriginal students and those wishing to teach in rural and remote schools.

Image caption: Former chemical engineer Fadzli Bin Abdul Rahman with NSW Department of Education Secretary Georgina Harrisson and students from North Sydney Boys High School.