From students to educators: How international students are bridging Australia’s teacher shortage gap.

Background

Since Albert Albanese came to power in 2022, the Labor Party has gradually overhauled the migration system. For a long time, the Australian education system has been facing a shortage of teachers. The Department of Home Affairs has put skilled education workers on top of the skilled immigration list accelerated for visa processing. Because of this, an increasing number of international students are coming to Australia to study secondary and early-childhood teaching to obtain permanent residency visas. Since then, many international students have joined the teaching workforce after graduation, and many more are joining the teaching profession as a shortcut to obtaining permanent residency. Their decisions and actions will undoubtedly impact the Australian education system.

Angle: 

The article will feature the personal experience of international students and overseas workers who are studying and working in the Australian education system. It aims to provide a firsthand account of the challenges and drawbacks of the education system from their own perspective.

Genre: 

This article is going to be a commentary on the increasing number of foreign education workers’ experiences in the Australian education system. 

Target Audience and Publication:

The Australian education system has been under the scrutiny of mainstream media due to concerns raised by various sectors of society, making any changes in the system subject to close attention. Every family in Australia that is raising children would pay attention to changes in the education system. 

International students who are intended to immigrate to Australia would also be interested in the developments surrounding such events. Every year, many parents from overseas invest a significant amount of money in sending their children to Australia for education, given the country’s renowned education industry. Therefore, this report may also attract the attention of overseas media.

Source of information:

• Every year, the government websites of Australia’s federal and state authorities provide essential information about the education sector. 
• The primary source of information is the international students who are studying for a teaching qualification in Australian universities, the fresh graduates working in the education sector,  and the overseas workers who have been granted permanent residency visas by working in the education sector. 
  • Xingyi Wang (Second-year secondary-teacUnveiling the Root Cause of Australia’s Education System Challenges from an International Student’s Viewpointhing student at the University of Melbourne)
  • Huizi Wang (Graduate from Monash University with a bachelor’s degree in secondary teaching, currently working in a public high school in east Melbourne)
• In addition, I would also attempt to contact tutors and coordinators working at the education departments of the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne.
  • Deb Hayes (Head of Sydney School of Education and Social Work)
  • Dr Tarunna Sebastian (Master of Teaching – Secondary Coordinator at USYD)
  • Dr Wendy Lee (Master of Teaching – Early Childhood Coordinator at USYD)
  • Dave Camilleri (Master of Teaching (Secondary) Coordinator at Unimelb)
  • Emily Rochette (Master of Teaching (Secondary) Coordinator at Unimelb)

Ideas for multimedia, hypertext and interactivity:

To explain the background behind the story, an infographic will be provided to present the Australian education system’s challenges visually. The recording of the interview will also be edited into a podcast. The body paragraph will feature many photos taken by international students. These visuals can help readers better understand the international student’s experience in the Australian education industry.

Link to existing research material:

Department of Education, Issue Paper: Teacher Workforce Shortage.