The South Australian Government has partnered with Teach for Australia (TFA) to deliver a pilot program designed to recruit talented graduates, young professionals and career changers.
The TFA Leadership Development program has the goal of developing the participants into highly effective teachers and leaders.
The first three associates to take part in the inaugural pilot all have bachelor degrees in hard-to-fill subject areas and will commence employment in a regional or remote school while undertaking their masters in teaching (secondary), receiving formal mentorship over two years.
Roxby Downs Area School will get two science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) teachers in Rebecca Magee and Joshua Biermann.
Magee has a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, is a tutor, and worked previously as a pharmacy assistant, and Biermann has a Bachelor of Engineering and worked as a civil engineer.
David Drummond, who is a career musician and music teacher with a Bachelor of Music, will teach music subjects at Stuart High School in Whyalla.
Minister for Education John Gardner said the pilot is designed to support the recruitment and retention of subject specialists to teaching roles in regional, rural and remote schools.
“There is a specific focus on harder-to-staff subjects like STEM and music,” Gardner said.
“Associates with these skills are needed and we’re thrilled to support this pilot to help regional and remote schools attract specialist teachers.
“TFA has been used effectively in other states and I’m excited to see how it performs in South Australia to meet some of the recruitment challenges in regional locations,” he added.
