Teacher shortages have become a significant issue globally, and Australia is no exception.
Many Australian schools continue to have trouble filling teaching vacancies, particularly in rural and socio-economically disadvantaged metropolitan areas.
“Career change teachers are increasingly viewed as a potential solution to this staffing crisis,” says Dr Babak Dadvand, Senior Lecturer in La Trobe’s School of Education.
“Yet despite their growing numbers, there is limited understanding of how these teachers navigate their new roles and the specific challenges they face.”
Research from Dr Dadvand is seeking to address this by examining the retention rates of career-change teachers in schools that are traditionally hard-to-staff.
“We spoke to career change teachers in hard-to-staff schools to understand the unique obstacles they encounter and the factors that influence their retention.”
Some of the challenges faced by career change teachers include financial distress during the transition, and the reality of day-to-day teaching.
Many career-change teachers also find their initial expectations clash with their role in managing student behaviour or addressing the additional needs of students.
Despite these challenges, Dr Dadvand says the research highlights their “commitment and strong dedication” to the teaching profession.
“Career change teachers face unique challenges, but many of them remain committed to making a positive impact on their students and the school community.”
“We hope this research informs strategies that could improve the support and retention of career change teachers and, ultimately, contribute to more stable staffing in hard-to-staff schools.”
