In a sign that Australia’s teacher shortages may finally be easing, new data shows both applications and offers are up for people wanting to study an undergraduate course in education.
The data, released by the Department of Education, shows that overall, preliminary results from tertiary admission centres are showing a 7% increase in applications and a 14% increase in offers compared to 2024.
Below, The Educator speaks to ACU National School of Education Head Professor Donna King about the recent surge in teaching degree applications, what’s driving renewed interest in the profession, and whether Australia’s teacher shortage crisis is finally easing.
TE: Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has released data showing an increase in the number of applications and offers for teaching degrees across the nation, have you seen evidence of this at ACU?
We welcome the national figures released by Minister Clare and we are pleased to say that ACU has experienced strong interest in our range of teaching programs this year. We’ve seen a mixture of continued stability and renewed growth across our Australian campuses including a 41 per cent increase in enrolments to study teaching at our Brisbane campus alone. This is heartening and the national trend identified by Minister Clare is something we, as Australia’s largest provider of initial teacher education, are thrilled to see and are continuing to work hard to ensure will continue as the demand for high-quality teachers is certainly ongoing.
TE: What sort of applicants are you seeing for your teaching degrees?
Our applicants are as varied and diverse as our teaching programs are. We are seeing Year 12 school leavers, those looking for a new career and those who are embarking on their first formal career as a mature age student, often after lengthy periods of useful preparatory exposure and grounding in classrooms and schools as parent volunteers. Teaching remains a highly feminised profession, but we are continuing to see men enrolling in our courses nationally too.
We are actively recruiting diverse students as we want to see teachers at the helm of classrooms who reflect the diversity of the students and families in their school communities. With our new fully-funded All Points to Teaching Program, for example, we are committed to increasing participation of students from groups who are underrepresented in higher education and the profession itself including those from regional, rural and remote areas, First Nations and mature-age students, and those with disabilities.
TE: Are you optimistic that the national teacher shortage may be improving?
There is no doubt the teacher shortage has been a major challenge for schools, students, and families nation-wide for quite some time now. I am optimistic that, as reflected in the figures released by Minister Clare and our own experience at ACU, we are seeing positive signs for the future of what is a highly rewarding, dynamic, and meaningful career. We are doing everything we can by working with our government, Catholic, and Independent school partners and other education stakeholders to help our students become the teachers of today and tomorrow.
TE: How do you explain the seemingly renewed interest in students studying teaching?
There has long been a focus on the challenges of the job, and that’s important to acknowledge as there are real challenges that require solutions, but the unique perks of the profession are also gaining attention. There really is nothing that comes close in terms of career satisfaction than being in a job where you are literally changing young lives by educating and empowering your students. And I think this is hitting home with school leavers who have experienced this with their own teachers who have become mentors in their own lives, and mature-age students who want to use their skills and experiences to improve the knowledge and prospects of the generations coming after them.
On a practical level, in addition to streamlining our entry processes for education degrees to remove barriers that won’t impact on the quality of our graduates, we offer flexible learning options including employment-based pathways, accelerated courses, and fully funded scholarships to make it easier than ever for students to pursue their goal of becoming a 21st century educator.
TE: What more needs to be done to encourage more people to study teaching?
There have been successful efforts at local, state, and federal levels to elevate the status of the profession and promote teaching as a rewarding and viable career choice. We’ve seen governments heed the calls of students and advocacy by ACU when it comes to providing financial support for students completing mandatory in-school placements. We’ve also seen pay rises that acknowledge the need for better remuneration, and programs designed to pave the way for both graduates and near-graduates to lead classrooms and start their careers in schools across regional, rural and remote areas.
At ACU we continue to listen to the needs of our students and stakeholders and are proud of how we adapt our courses to meet demand and provide flexible programs that never compromise on quality. These collaborative efforts are helping to encourage more people to study teaching, but we need to keep it up and ensure we listen to the needs of the profession and those who want to join it.
However, we cannot just focus on attracting students to teaching. We need to do everything we can to keep experienced teachers from leaving the profession. Much-needed efforts are being made by governments to address the heavy workload issues which are often behind teachers leaving their classrooms. But we also need to make sure that teachers are given the support and tools they need to meet the needs of their diverse students and ensure they are keeping up with evidence-based practices and resources to improve their capabilities and student outcomes. To meet this need for continued upskilling, ACU provides professional learning for all in-service teachers including a range of short courses and micro-credentials in key areas including advanced classroom management, STEM education, and literacy.