Addressing the national teaching shortage with the Collaborative Teacher’s Aide Pathway

Australia is experiencing a national shortage of teachers. To address this critical workforce shortage, Charles Sturt designed a ground-breaking program to fast-track the teaching qualifications of teacher’s aides, School Learning Support Officers (SLSOs), Aboriginal Education officers and other school support personnel by recognising their skills from time already spent in the classroom.

“Charles Sturt is proud of its record of producing high-quality teaching graduates that meet the educational needs of Australian school students”, says Vice Chancellor Professor Renée Leon.

“In recent years the University has graduated more than 900 teachers per year into the education workforce. Under this program and at a time when teachers are desperately needed, that number will only grow.”

The Collaborative Teacher’s Aide Pathway (CTAP) works with schools and focuses on recognising the skills and previous study of teacher’s aides such as Certificate III or IV of Education Support, or a Diploma of School Age Education and Care, to support them to complete an online primary or secondary teaching degree. In its first year, 2022, 145 students were enrolled in the program.

Senior Lecturer with the Charles Sturt School of Education Dr Libbey Murray said the program had received an overwhelming response from teacher’s aides and principals across Australia. “The Collaborative Teacher’s Aide Pathway is proving to be a real success,” Dr Murray said.

“The majority of students enrolled so far are from regional, rural, and metropolitan NSW, but we have also received enrolments from students in Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory,” said Dr Murray.

“Just some of the areas applicants have come from include Dubbo NSW, Condobolin NSW, Nyngan NSW, Sydney NSW, Bunbury WA, Townsville QLD, and the Mornington Peninsula VIC. Some schools have multiple teacher’s aides enrolled who are supporting each other through the course, which is great to see.”

The program was awarded $500,000 from the NSW Government’s Collaboration and Innovation Fund, which will support students to complete their studies while continuing to work.

“The $500,000 under the NSW Government’s Collaboration and Innovation Fund will be instrumental in supporting students to complete their studies, while maintaining the critical work they already do in schools, and juggling personal and family lives,” Dr Murray said.