Aus Gov Wants to Make it Easier for Tradies to Become Teachers

Could your next teacher be a former builder?

The Turnbull Government has a new plan to diversify teachers, encouraging more tradespeople, along with people from other professions, to get into the classroom.

Their strategy will begin with a look at the registration that teachers are required to undertake every five years as well as the requirements to have at least an education diploma in certain areas, with many requiring an undergraduate degree.

The Minister for Education, Simon Birmingham, explained that diversifying the backgrounds of teachers in the education system would be a good thing.

"Students need to learn from people from all walks of life," Birmingham said. 

"There is no doubt that tradies who have done the hard yakka on the construction site could bring new skills and a different perspective that could be invaluable for student learning."

The review will also look at inconsistencies in the states to try and create a more unified set of rules and requirements.

It comes after the Bureau of Statistics revealed that 53 per cent of Australians who hold a degree in teaching don't work in the industry. In 2014, the Australian Government revealed a further 20 per cent who graduate with a teaching degree choose not to work in the industry.

It's warned that there will be a teacher shortage in the coming years if these issues are not addressed.

Photo: iStock.com/sturti