AITSL Query

[Robyn3]

Hi All,

I have been in contact with a few AMAZING SAAus members who have been so helpful, but I thought I would open these question up to all teachers in an attempt not to overload those awesome SAAus members with a million questions

I have a BCom degree and am busy with my PGCE (Foundation Phase and Early Childhood Development) through Unisa. On the AITSL application form it states "Study assessed by AITSL as comparable to at least four years full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education (university) level study in Australia, that results in a qualification/s comparable to the educational level of an Australian bachelor degree or higher." Now my question is, would a Bachelor's degree in SA (which is three years) be the same as a Australian Bachelor?

Then the next section states (I'm sure you've all read this numerous times, but I will paste it anyways)

"An initial teacher education qualification relevant to the Early Childhood (Pre-primary School) teacher occupation of at least one year full-time study (or part time equivalent) at the higher education (university) level that includes a minimum of 45 days of supervised teaching practice with students across the ages of 3 and 8 in education programs prior to and in to the early years of primary school." Like I said I'm doing my PGCE (FDP & ECD) through Unisa. Will I need to get practical experience through both a primary school (Grade R - 3) and a childcare center for ages 3 - 5? The teaching prac for the PGCE only covers primary school from what I've been told.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I want to make sure that I do everything correctly so that I don't hit any huge speed bumps when application time arrives.

Thanks!!

Robyn

[Bronwyn&Co]

I can't say for sure Robyn so hopefully you get more replies, but I can tell you that I'm doing a bachelor degree full-time in Aus & it's 3 years. So...?

[HadEnoughofJuju]

Hey Robyn

I filled in all the forms for my wife's assessment with AITSL and as far as I understood it the 3 year bachelors degree (if it's not a teaching degree) has to be followed by a post grade diploma or advanced certificate which is equal to one year of full time study in the relevant field. My wife did a 3 year BA and a 1 year postgrad HED which qualified her for the assessment. I know a couple of teachers that have done the PCGE postgrad and have been successful with their assessment. As far as the experience goes, it has to be 45 days or more supervised teaching practical. If you are applying for an assessment as an Early Childhood Educator then the 45 days in the primary school should be enough, you shouldn't have to do it in the child care center as well. With our assessment (for secondary school teacher) they didn't care where the practical was done as long as it totaled 45 days. Some of my wife's teaching prac was done at a primary school.

[Robyn3]

Hi Bronwyn & Steven,

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply!

Steven, I'm so glad to hear that a 3 year degree followed by a one year postgrad is sufficient. I have a bcom and am busy with completing my PGCE at the moment. Does work experience only count once the PGCE is complete?

How had/did your wife find the QLD education system? My family are all on the Gold Coast and I would love to come out that way when I move over (coming over for a LSD/holiday in December for 3 weeks to the Gold Coast and a weekend away up the Sunshine Coast). I can't wait to see how beautiful QLD is in person as the photos are amazing!

Thanks again for your help!

[HadEnoughofJuju]

Unfortunately in most cases work experience only counts after the degree or post grad qualification is complete. That's not a skills assessment thing but a DIBP thing. You may be able to get a letter from AITSL stipulating your work experience for visa purposes but I am not sure how that works though or if it will be sufficient to score or prove points for the work experience part of the visa app. That may be something you need to run by a migration agent.

The QLD Department of Education is tough to get into and once you are registered you pretty much have to go wherever they send you. You will first need to register with QCT (Queensland College of Teachers) and have your qualifications reassessed after you get the AITSL assessment certificate back which you will have to submit with the rest of the documentation (almost an exact copy of what you sent to AITSL ) for assessment. Absolutely ridiculous if you ask me although the one saving grace is that you can do it from South Africa but only once you have a valid visa.

Once registered with QCT you will need to register with the deparment of education so you can get an employee number which you will need to register with Tracer so you can get some relief work which you can only do once in Aus. Although relief work pays very well it's emotionally draining and like your worst day in a South African school.

I don't want to discourage you but you need to be aware that getting work in places like Brissie, Gold Coast or the Sunny Coast may be difficult. Here in QLD you need to serve your 2 years in a rural/remote area, chosen by the department of course, before you get to request where you want to teach and hope that it gets granted. Those people that have jobs here on the Sunny Coast hang on to them for dear life which also makes getting work in private schools just as difficult.

State Primary schools are not so bad to teach in but if you ask my wife about the high schools she will tell you to run a mile. It's not fun to do relief because the kids seem to have a vendetta against the sub teachers.

QLD is stunning and I would say that once you see the Sunny Coast you are not going to want to leave.