Do you have senior students interested in a career in teaching?
Teaching offers a unique and purposeful pathway that opens doors to countless career development opportunities. The NSW Department of Education's how-to guide for high school students clearly outlines the steps that need to be taken to become a teacher in a NSW public school.
Below you can find key information that may be useful when advising your senior students about a teaching career.
Why teach with the NSW Department of Education?
With nearly 100,000 employees working in schools and offices across the state, teaching with the NSW Department of Education offers a diverse and rewarding career. NSW public school teachers enjoy a wide range of professional benefits and career development opportunities, including:
Mentoring and support
- Students can be supported while they study with a future teacher scholarship
- Beginning teachers receive mentoring and support in their first two years of teaching
- Teachers benefit from access to training and development programs
Workplace benefits
- Teachers receive generous leave provisions and a competitive graduate salary
- Be supported to develop a range of transferable skills
- Enjoy countless leadership progression opportunities
- Make a difference in the community
A career that moves
- Casual, temporary and permanent employment is available anywhere in the state, country or world
- Teaching careers in rural andremote NSW offer additional benefits and incentives
- Enjoy teaching across a wide variety of roles and settings
Information for senior students
To become a teacher with the NSW Department of Education, senior students must complete Stage 6 English and mathematics subjects.
To meet university admission requirement students should aim to achieve three Band 5s (including one in English) and a Band 4 in mathematics. There may be additional subject prerequisites depending on which university a student completes their initial teacher education degree with.
Students can visit the NESA website for more information on prerequisites and alternate entry pathways.
To be qualified to teach in a NSW public school students need to complete a minimum of four years study, including an accredited teacher education course at a recognised Australian teacher education institution.
The specific course will depend on whether the student wants to teach in a primary or secondary school or is interested in becoming a specialist teacher (including school counselling, teacher librarianship, English as an Additional Language/Dialect, Vocational Education and Training or special/inclusive education).
The NSW Department of Education offers a range of scholarship programs to Year 12 students who are planning to complete approved studies in initial teacher education. During their HSC year, students can apply for a NSW Department of Education future teacher scholarship. Successful recipients receive financial support while studying and graduate with a guaranteed permanent teaching position in a NSW public school.
Useful resources
- Information on the various types of teachers within schools
- Information on high-demand subjects and locations, which can improve employment prospects post-graduation
- Information on graduate earnings and career progression
- List of tertiary institutions offering accredited teacher education courses
- Information on prerequisites and alternate entry pathways is available via the NESA website
Teach NSW contacts
If you have any further questions regarding teaching careers with the NSW Department of Education, please contact hrpromotions@det.nsw.edu.au.
For more information about future teacher scholarship programs, please contact scholarships@det.nsw.edu.au or phone 1300 301 435.
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