The Victorian Teacher Supply and Demand Report for the current year has projected a robust expansion in the teaching workforce under the Allan Labor Government, estimating a pool of over 112,000 teachers primed for service in government schools and kindergartens by the year 2028.
In a recent announcement, Minister for Education Ben Carroll heralded Victoria’s remarkable progress in teacher workforce development, outstripping all other states and territories. Figures from 2023 indicate that Victoria accounted for more than half of the national surge in Australia’s teaching ranks.
According to the report, Victoria witnessed a substantial 3.9 percent uptick in its teaching cohort between June 2022 and June 2023. This growth trajectory has been attributed to sustained rises in student enrollments coupled with an array of initiatives spearheaded by the Labor Government, aimed at bolstering the state’s pool of skilled educators.
The government’s concerted investment in educational workforce initiatives stands as a bulwark against the nationwide challenge of teacher shortages. Strategic allocations towards attraction, recruitment, support for early career educators, retention, and professional advancement have been pivotal in sustaining this growth momentum.
Among these initiatives is a significant injection of $93.2 million towards 8,000 new scholarships catering to students pursuing secondary school teaching degrees. This initiative has already yielded a notable 9 percent surge in university offers for teaching courses in the ongoing year.
Furthermore, the government has earmarked $32.2 million for paid student teacher placements, facilitating placements for 1,200 postgraduates in secondary schools. Additionally, a substantial sum of $95.7 million has been allocated to enhance support mechanisms for early career and returning teachers.
Victoria’s commitment to fortifying its highly skilled early childhood workforce is evidenced by an investment exceeding $370 million. This funding drive aims to furnish over 4,000 teaching scholarships while extending support to nearly 1,700 diploma-qualified educators in transitioning to early childhood teaching roles.
For further insights into the Victorian Teacher Supply and Demand Report, interested parties can visit vic.gov.au/statistics-victorian-schools-and-teaching.
Minister for Education Ben Carroll underscored the significance of the Victorian Teacher Supply and Demand Report in providing a comprehensive overview of the burgeoning teaching workforce. He emphasized its role in shaping strategies for sustained growth and support in the years ahead.
Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn reiterated the pivotal role played by early childhood workers in shaping the formative years of young children. She affirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to nurturing and expanding this critical workforce to meet the evolving demands of early childhood education across the state.
