The NSW Early Career Academy is taking shape with the inaugural series of Early Career Teacher Conferences starting in Parramatta.

The 2026 Early Career Teacher Conferences will help first-year public school teachers to deepen their understanding of core teaching practices and make valuable connections.

These conferences are an important first step in giving first-year teachers the chance to deepen their practice, connect with fellow educators, and ensure their students benefit from confident, well-prepared educators from the very start.

Designed specifically for first-year teachers, the conferences cover topics including understanding accreditation, curriculum, student wellbeing support, and balance and resilience.

NSW Education Secretary Murat Dizdar told attendees that, as the largest employer of teaching graduates in Australia, the NSW Department of Education is in a unique position to shape the teaching profession.

“The Academy is here to help you build your practice, find your feet in the classroom, and ultimately stay in the profession for the long term,” he said.

“There is something very special about knowing the work you do each day can change the direction of a young person’s life. You are in the best profession on the planet.”

Mr Dizdar also encouraged new teachers to embrace the whole school, not just their classroom.

“Coach the debating team. Help with the musical. Get involved. That’s where you find your community and where the real rewards of this profession live,” he said.

For Randwick High School science teacher, Thomas Mo, the early career years have been both challenging and transformative, enabling him to follow his passion for creating opportunities for students who may not have had the same advantages he did.

Though Mr Mo attended a private school himself, he fell in love with public education during his initial teacher education.

Mr Mo participated in the Beyond the Line program in 2023, which broadened his perspective on public education and broke down misconceptions he had about schools outside his own background, particularly around regional NSW schools which he found to be well-resourced.

He also completed a placement at Dubbo College Delroy Campus through the Rural and Remote Professional Experience Program, where the science teachers, including Ms Rhiannon Morrissey, provided valuable mentoring.

Nevertheless, Mr Mo said his first year in the classroom was challenging, describing it as a ‘trial by fire’.

“I took over classes with significant behavioural issues and struggled with things like getting priorities straight, consistent behaviour management strategies, curriculum preparation, and general anxiety about what to focus on,” he said.

“What got me through was the people around me, a colleague who would sit down with me at the end of each day, ask the right questions, and help me work through what was and wasn’t working.”

Mr Mo credits the generosity of Ms Marnie Separavich, Mr Sam Lam and Ms Arielle Simon at Randwick High School and is an advocate for structured mentoring programs for early career teachers.

Like Mr Mo, many beginning teachers have consistently identified a need for more structured support as they enter the profession however access to that support has not always been consistent across schools.

The Academy directly addresses that gap with a coordinated, system-wide approach, and the new series of conferences builds on successful conferences for rural, regional and remote teachers, offering the same opportunities for teachers in our large cities.

Further conferences will take place in Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle as a key initiative of the Early Career Academy for Teachers, which will serve as a centre of excellence to attract and support new and future NSW public school teachers, ultimately improving outcomes for students.

The Early Career Academy is a key initiative under the NSW Government’s $20 million Innovative Teacher Training Fund which aims to support beginning teachers and attract the best and brightest into public education.

It leverages the scale of the department in a way that has not been done before, integrating attraction, pre-service support, early career development and retention into one coordinated program, with partnerships across the university sector, industry bodies and key education stakeholders.

Several programs are already underway, including Beyond the Line, Future Teachers Club, University Partnership Leads and Grow Your Own, while new initiatives such as the Early Career Academy Digital Hub, tailored professional learning, Career Connections, and mentoring programs are being introduced and expanded.