What are the major changes in the field of Education that are impacting on recruitment for this year?

• More public schools have been awarded Independent Public School status and can select their own teachers. This means that an increasing number of teaching positions are advertised on the Jobs WA website, and teachers are required to apply directly to schools
• The Department of Education has been preparing for the movement of year 7 students to secondary settings in 2015. Next year will also be the first time since 2001 that the education system will have a full cohort of students across all the year groups, as the current half co-hort in year 12 moves out of secondary schools. The Department anticipates a high demand for secondary trained teachers in most subjects and particularly in the areas of Mathematics, Science, and Design and Technology. The Department is preparing for this by offering teachers the opportunity to gain the content knowledge and skills to teach secondary students through the Switch program. The Department is also keen to recruit secondary teachers from other sources.
• An oversupply of primary teachers is forecast for 2015. However, there is growth in the number of students commencing in schools, which enhances job prospects for those with Early Childhood training.

What is the outlook for teaching in WA in the shorter term to 2020?

Overall the outlook for teacher employment in WA is positive to 2020. It is anticipated that demand for secondary teachers will be greatest. There will also be continued demand for Early Childhood teachers. However, country regions such as the MidWest, Goldfields, Pilbara and Kimberleys always need teachers, including primary teachers.

What are the top three skills or attributes you believe are most likely to make a graduate successful?

• Flexibility, both in locations they are prepared to travel to and the age groups they are prepared to teach.
• Ability to accept advice and constructive criticism and learn from more experienced teachers
• Being a team player in the school, working effectively with other teachers, parents and the wider community
• Passion and enthusiasm

What’s your top piece of advice for making the most of the first year of professional employment?

Stay positive, every day is a new day and a fresh opportunity to be a great teacher. Be prepared to learn from your mistakes and more experienced teachers. Ask lots of questions and develop a strong support network with other graduate teachers.

What’s the best way for students to stay up to date with Dept of Education news?

The Department of Education has recently developed a mobile app, named DOE Careers – it can be downloaded for free from the Apple Store (for iphones/ipads) and GooglePlay (for other mobile devices). DOE Careers keeps teachers abreast of new recruitment developments and provides Graduate teachers an avenue to receive recruitment advice and up to date information for teaching jobs being advertised via push notifications.

Up to date information regarding teaching careers can also be located on the Department’s Careers website