The program is set to assist more than 300 education support staff and Koorie education support officers in training as teachers while working in schools.
“The Allan Labor Government is proud to invest $13.9 million, so our outstanding education support staff have the support they need to pursue rewarding teaching careers,” Mr Carroll said.
Starting in 2025, the program will be delivered by Federation University Australia and La Trobe University. It will provide participating teaching assistants, integration aides and cultural liaison officers with Department of Education-funded living expenses scholarships, relocation incentives and mentoring support.
“The undergraduate level employment-based teaching degree initiative opens up teaching to a broader pool of diverse candidates by supporting staff to gain teaching qualifications while working in our schools,” Mr Carroll said.
The new undergraduate-level employment-based teaching degrees will expand on the existing program offering employment-based teaching degrees such as Teach Today and Teach Tomorrow, which are currently available to postgraduate students.
La Trobe University’s Nexus Program was launched in 2020 as part of the government’s High Achieving Teachers Program, a unique pathway enabling people to transition into teaching from other careers.
“I am thrilled that our pioneering Nexus program is being taken to another level with this new program that will enable education support staff to gain teaching qualifications while working in schools,” La Trobe School of Education dean Professor Joanna Barbousas said.
According to its website, La Trobe’s School of Education will receive around $2.5 million to help deliver the Nexus bachelor pilot program.
“I am particularly pleased that part of this program is about actively encouraging and supporting Indigenous education support officers to become teachers, leading to a more culturally diverse teacher workforce,” Prof Barbousas said.
“This initiative is yet another example of the Victorian Government removing financial and geographical barriers so that our schools can recruit the next generation of dedicated teachers,” Mr Carroll said.
