Media Statements - Teacher vacancies drop to 42 as Minister heads east on recruitment drive

20/2/08

With teacher vacancies falling to just 42 State-wide, the Education and Training Minister Mark McGowan will tomorrow head east to promote the benefits of teaching in WA as part of the ongoing strategy to address long-term workforce issues.

Mr McGowan will fly to Brisbane to launch a $45,000 press advertising campaign designed to attract teachers to schools in Western Australia.

The Minister said it was important to keep the momentum going on teacher recruitment to ensure classes were staffed throughout the year and into 2009.

“The State Government has been relentless in its efforts to recruit teachers to the public system,” he said.

“At the beginning of the 2008 school year, we had 79 vacancies throughout the State - less than half the amount we had at the beginning of 2007.

“Today, two and a half weeks into Term One, we have 42 vacancies with 13 of those under offer. Of the vacancies, 31 are full-time positions and 11 are part-time.

“The vast majority of those vacancies are for secondary teachers in specialist areas such as Design and Technology and Music.

“The strategies we put in place are working but we cannot rest on our laurels as the configuration of the workforce is continuously changing.”

Mr McGowan said WA’s graduate teachers were the highest paid in the country, earning $50,025 per year - $3,075 more than in Queensland.

“Experienced classroom teachers would also benefit from a move to WA, earning $69,132 per year - $2,941 more than the Queensland equivalent,” he said.

“If teachers choose to work at selected country and remote schools, they can earn up to an additional $19,800 in location allowances, meaning some first year graduates could earn close to $70,000 per year.”

The Minister’s visits to Victoria and Tasmania and an extensive press advertising campaign in 2007 have so far resulted in 580 expressions of interest from interstate and New Zealand.

“My previous interstate visits have indicated that many teachers view WA as the place to be and I hope that many will be attracted to a teaching career here,” Mr McGowan said.

“We have a relaxed lifestyle, good climate and a booming economy, with jobs not only for teachers but for partners, spouses and other family members.”

The advertising campaign, which starts today, features testimonials from teachers who are currently working in rural and remote schools. They are:

Burkhard Ehring from Germany, an English teacher at Newman Senior High School;
Linden Hoyle, Deputy Principal, Leonora District High School;
Cassandra Horvath, Home Economics teacher, Newman Senior High School; and
Linda Rogers, English teacher and literacy specialist, Manjimup Senior High School.

“We will not stop in our efforts to boost WA’s teaching workforce,” Mr McGowan said.

“Our interstate and overseas recruitment drives are among a host of initiatives we have implemented which are already beginning to pay dividends.”

Minister's office - 9222 9111