Jeremy Rockliff,Acting Minister for Education
As Tasmanian Government school students prepare to return to the classroom this week, I would also like to welcome all the graduate teachers who are commencing their careers in our schools this year.
Teaching is an incredibly rewarding profession, which is all about making a difference in the lives of young Tasmanians across the State.
To ensure we are getting the best outcomes for our learners, the Tasmanian Government is committed to ensuring our schools have the best teachers to deliver high-quality teaching and learning for all students.
The Teacher Intern Placement Program provides a unique opportunity for UTAS students to undertake their final year of study, whilst developing practical teaching skills in a school setting.
Graduates are either recruited locally or through our annual teacher recruitment drive and are supported with comprehensive professional learning including a Welcome to the Profession in partnership with UTAS.
The focus is to provide the best start, so our early career teachers feel prepared, and join into a network of colleagues as they embark on an exciting and rewarding career in public education.
We know that teachers play a vital role in improving education outcomes for students, and we want to attract the best and brightest to work in our schools.
I wish all the new graduate teachers heading into classrooms this week all the best on their teaching journey.
The Department of Education is continuing to focus on securing our teaching workforce as we commence the 2022 school year in the public system.
There are a number of proactive strategies underway to expand the supply of relief teachers in Tasmania, with actions including:
- Offering the opportunity for final year University of Tasmania students to register for a generic relief Limited Authority to Teach (LAT);
- Directly contacting applicants already on the employment register;
- Rolling out a new targeted advertising campaign to attract registrations;
- Contacting recently returned Teachers to encourage them to consider registering interest in undertaking relief work; and
- Ensuring we are pushing opportunities for current part-time teachers to seek additional availability for relief.
