As teacher shortages loom across Australia these Queensland schools are trialling solutions

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Queensland schools are facing a recruitment crisis - with dwindling teacher graduate numbers and thousands leaving the profession each year. In Cairns, this catholic school is investing in new recruits to address the chronic teacher shortage.

Transcript

00:00A new generation of teacher not much older than her students.

00:07Can anyone tell me what we have learnt in Animal Farm so far?

00:12Olivia Parisi is on the way to living her dream.

00:15I feel like it's a commitment to inspiring others, watching people grow.

00:20After graduating from the same Cairns school she now works in,

00:24the 21-year-old took up a university scholarship that covers her four-year teaching degree.

00:29What do you think is going to happen next in the novel?

00:32It's paid by the Catholic Education Diocese in Cairns

00:36to address a critical teacher shortage across its schools.

00:40It absolutely is making a difference for us,

00:43partly because they feel that they've been supported, they're mentored,

00:48they've already got some connections and relationships with schools here in our diocese.

00:52It's not a cheap fix.

00:54The program has cost more than $200,000 since it started in 2022.

01:00But with dozens of scholarship recipients committing to at least two years

01:04with the diocese after graduating, it's worth it.

01:07We've got more people retiring than we've got people coming into the profession.

01:12So we just have to be more proactive.

01:16In the public system, Education Queensland also runs university scholarship programs for career changes

01:23and provides one-off university grants for some aspiring teachers graduating Year 12.

01:29But critics want the state to do more to keep the teachers it already has.

01:34Teachers are feeling undervalued.

01:36It's not about the pay, that's just a nice way to be shown appreciation.

01:43But I think teachers are feeling a lack of trust in them as professionals.

01:48When Olivia Parisi takes the reins of her own classroom next year,

01:52she knows her workload will increase, but she's confident she has the support for long-term success.

01:59I've really been fortunate enough to have a network of people that I can go to with all my endless questions

02:06and my doubts that help guide me.

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