A new graduate teacher program will be piloted in Victoria from 2021 aiming to provide additional support to 700 graduate teachers through improved induction and mentoring.
Through the program, new graduate teachers will have an allocated mentor and classroom cover to assist them with completing a new, specialised professional development program.
The $73.4 million graduate teacher program will be piloted from next year in primary schools in North Eastern Melbourne, Western Melbourne and Inner Gippsland, with 350 graduate teachers to commence in 2021 and a further 350 to commence in 2022.
“Starting a new career can be a daunting prospect but this program will make sure new graduate teachers have all the support they need as they start an exciting new path,” said Victorian Minister for Education James Merlino. “Teachers play such a crucial role in the development of our kids. It is only right that we give them the right support as they embark on their careers.”
Graduate teachers in rural and remote areas will receive additional support to get to know their community, which will be new to many of them, and build networks with local teachers and other professionals.
The Victorian Government will also expand its Graduate Teacher Conferences to cover second year graduate teachers, with full-day conferences to help them learn from others and develop support networks in their area.
The graduate teacher pilot program follows significant advocacy work from the Australian Education Union and is part of the Excellence in Teacher Education reforms, which includes setting a minimum ATAR of 70 for graduate teaching courses and making it easier for people with valuable experience to get into teaching.
“There is more to building the Education State than simply building schools – that is why we’re lifting the quality of teaching to make sure that every child gets the education they deserve,” added Minister Merlino.