Career change pathways
Teaching is a rewarding career and a profession that people enter at all different stages of their lives. Teachers bring their whole selves to the role, and the work and life experience you have gained can enrich your school or early childhood setting.
To become a teacher in Australia the first thing you need to do is to undertake an accredited initial teacher education (ITE) program. Our Study teaching page has information on how to get started.
What age group of students do I want to work with?
Before choosing your course, it is important to think about what age of students you are interested in teaching.
Most initial teacher education courses specialise in either Early Childhood (birth to 5 years old), Primary (5–12 years old) or Secondary (11–18 years old). Some institutions offer combined programs that allow you to teach across multiple age ranges.
Take a look at these AITSL video resources to get a feel for each of different classroom settings.
Explore different classroom settings
View allWhat study or program do I need to complete to become a teacher?
How much will I be paid?
Primary and Secondary teachers
Your salary could be determined by years of service in the profession, qualifications and prior teaching and/or industry experience. Remuneration negotiations will also depend on your jurisdiction and your schooling context (public, independent or Catholic school).
The starting salary for first-year teachers varies across Australian jurisdictions, as does the process of career progression and potential remuneration.
Some states and territories also offer extra incentives for working in rural, regional and remote locations.
For more specificity, explore the payment and remuneration information from each of the state and territories:
Early Childhood teachers
The process varies for early childhood teachers across different jurisdictions in Australia. Salaries for some early childhood teachers operate under the same award as primary and secondary teachers, whereas some jurisdictions have their own award. The rate of pay for a degree-qualified early childhood teacher is often different to that of someone working in an early childhood centre who does not have a relevant tertiary degree. Navigating this can be a little complex, and you are best to search for the award relevant to early childhood teachers in each jurisdiction.
Teaching was something I had always wanted to do. I enjoyed mentoring and relationship building in my previous work, and so I wanted to build on these skills and work and learn from a range of colleagues.
2023
Will I get paid more if I have previously worked in another field?
Remuneration negotiations will depend on your jurisdiction and your schooling context (public, independent or Catholic school).
What are the possibilities for career progression in teaching?
As you progress in your career, in some jurisdictions and schooling sectors, you can go through the process to become an accredited Highly Accomplished or Lead teacher (HALT). Once accredited, you may be eligible for specific remuneration benefits. You can learn more about which jurisdictions and sectors you can be accredited in on our HALT accreditation page.
Leadership roles including Head of Department, Assistant Principal and Principal usually provide extra remuneration.
I was enthusiastic to work with young people and embark on an active, purposeful and meaningful career along with colleagues who aligned with my passion for education and change making.
2023
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