While strategies are continuously thrown back and forward to address the crippling teacher shortage in rural areas and across the state, a collaborative pathway is making moves in boosting teacher numbers. 

Investing in the ‘homegrown’ recruitment method, Charles Sturt University’s (CSU) pathway program helps to upskill teachers’ aides and Aboriginal Education Officers to become qualified teachers.

Nyngan based teacher’s aide Sarah Walsh and commencing student of the program said that it was unlikely she would have ever pursued a teaching degree. 

“I have to think of work…my income and starting a family…I probably wouldn’t have pursued it at this moment in time anyway,” Ms Walsh said. 

Her school in Nyngan hasn’t escaped the teacher shortage that has plagued the state, but despite industrial action over increasing workloads, she’s eager to support her school.

“I think it’s more empowering…I see what those teachers do for the kids,” she said.

“If anything, it’s made me more confident in wanting to join that kind of a team environment,” Ms Walsh said.

CSU Senior Lecturer Dr Libbey Murray said the program has received an overwhelming response across Australia, with applicants from Condobolin and Nyngan making up part of the cohort. 

“We have more than 43 students enrolled in Session One and another 50 applicants so far for Session Two in 2022 and are on track to reaching 100 students in total, before session two applications close on 8 July,” Dr Murray said. 

The course - which recognises prior qualifications such as relevant Diplomas or Certificates - has drawn regional staff who are able to pursue their degree online while continuing to work in their current support role. 

“It’s really meeting the needs of our students who have to juggle jobs and families, and who aren’t able to study on campus,” Dr Murray said. 

“We are aware of the time and financial barriers our students experience. This program helps teachers’ aides overcome these so they can achieve their goal to become teachers,” she said. 

Sarah Walsh is eager to be a part of the teaching community. (Supplied)

According to the NSW Teacher Supply Strategy for 2021-2031 released last year, 4,600 teachers are to be recruited over a period of four years.

The strategy was released as a teacher supply crisis came to surface, where the government documents acknowledged public schools are likely to ‘run out of teachers in the next five years’.

While the repetitive striking from teachers this year amid calls for better pay, unions have rejected the government’s offer to lift the wage cap from 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent. 

If the government comes to the table with an acceptable offer, the potential renewed incentive for teacher enrollments still won’t see that increase in supply for four years as they complete their qualification. 

Dr Murray said under the CSU pathway, the majority of teachers’ aides are receiving one year of credit upon enrolment.  

“This turns a four-year degree pathway into a three-year pathway for most, which not only cuts down the time students have to study, and the cost involved in that, but helps our dedicated teachers’ aides to be employed as classroom teachers sooner,” she said. 

While it will be a few years before the programs comes to fruition for teacher supply, it’s promising that regional and rural NSW has seen the majority of enrolments.

“The Collaborative Teacher’s Aide Pathway (CTAP) is proving to be a real success,” Dr Murray said.