Tips for pursuing a career in teaching were offered today during a Q&A panel at the University of Wollongong.
Part of the 2015 Education Careers Expo, five representatives from leading education organisations offered word sof advice to students who want to work in education.
Mobile reporter Josh Flint live tweeted and provided Instagram coverage of the forum, and shared some of the information from the half-hour session.
Katrina Sheaves from the ACT Education and Training Directorate said there are many full-time employment opportunities in Canberra, with 86 primary schools in the state.
“Yes Canberra is growing and yes there are more schools and yes there are more teaching oppurtunities” Katrina Sheaves, ACT Education
— joshflint (@joshflint2012) May 7, 2015
Kerrie Redfern from Teach.NSW said that working in a school on a casual basis provides a learning great opportunity for new teachers to see what type of education they might want to specify in.
“First hand knowledge and first hand experience gives you great preparation for the interview” Kerrie Redfern on casual teaching @UOWTV
— joshflint (@joshflint2012) May 7, 2015
Gayle McMahon response to a student who asked whether a teacher needs to be a Catholic in order to work at a Catholic school:
“We expect all our teachers to respect the Catholic ethos our schools” Catholic Education Team Leader Gayle McMahon @UOWTV
— joshflint (@joshflint2012) May 7, 2015
It was at this point in the Q and A, that the focus turned to the interview process.
Bruce Rowles, Principal of Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect), said that many students fail to come prepared to interviews, and that even having some basic knowledge of autism would do a student wonders in their interview.
“Do your homework! There’s so much you can be prepared for when you come” Bruce Rowles on interview preparation @UOWTV
— joshflint (@joshflint2012) May 7, 2015
The general consensus from the panel was that having casual experience working as a teacher and coming fully prepared to an interview will do post-graduate students a world of good when it comes to full-time employment in the education field.