Key points:
Job applications submitted by teachers in NSW and Victoria to teach in Qld grew in 2020, and again in 2021
Most are primary teachers applying for South-East Queensland jobs
The teachers' union says more needs to be done to attract applicants to rural and remote areas
The number of teachers from New South Wales applying for Queensland
teaching jobs has increased from 1.2 per cent of all applicants in 2019
to 3.6 per cent in 2021, according to the state's education department
data.
Meanwhile, the number of Victorian teachers applying for
jobs in Queensland has grown from 0.1 per cent in 2019 to 2.9 per cent
this year.
SEQ schools most sought-after area
A Queensland
Education Department spokesperson said the majority of applicants were
seeking employment in South-East Queensland and were mainly primary
teachers.
The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast remain the most popular locations for interstate applicants, the spokesperson said.
In 2021, teachers with a Queensland residential address made up 91.5
per cent of new applications for classroom teaching roles.
More needs to be done to attract teachers to move rural and remote
Queensland Teachers' Union president Cresta Richardson said the figures
were not completely unexpected given the general migration to
Queensland during the pandemic.
She said given enrolment growth, and in some areas pressure, the employment of qualified teachers from interstate was welcomed.
It might cover some schools, but we also need teachers all over
Queensland, we would encourage any teacher moving to Queensland to
consider going rural and remote, she said.
Moving to
Queensland is not just the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast or Brisbane, if
they're looking for a tree change, we've got those communities for a
tree change.
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But Ms Richardson said meeting teaching shortages with interstate applicants was only part of the solution.
Ultimately we think that people who come into teaching should be
supported, there should be a pipeline through university for school
leavers or people to go to university, internships, recruiting from
interstate, attracting and retaining people to the profession, she
said.
There is a scheme to encourage people to go out to rural
and remote areas and it hits the mark to a point but there can always
be more done to encourage people to go to rural and remote areas.
They are really rewarding areas but change is difficult, so really
highlighting the benefits of those rural and remote roles would be of
benefit to adequately staffing schools, but we also need teachers where
there is enrolment growth.
