First posting - Train to be a teacher or get a job?!

charley · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 25 Jul 2004 Posts: 26

Hi, have had a read through the postings and learnt a lot. Can you teach me more?
I'm 33 with a partner and 2 kids. About to complete and MSc in public health and currently work in health promotion/public health. Would like to train as a primary teacher and work in NZ and loved it after a holiday last summer (much better deal for teachers compared to here).
Would you advise me to come over to NZ on a holiday visa and try to get a job, then PR and then train as a teacher later on (cheaper route) or to come along on a student visa and do one year post-grad course and then apply for jobs (and hopefully get PR if i can get a job)?
Are primary teachers needed in NZ?
Is is a crazy idea to come out and try and get a job? We plan to sell our house and just take the leap.
If i take the student route I am looking at starting a course in January so would appreciate you views. My house is up for sale as of next week!!
Cheers, I'm finding out all the time so i may be able to help with your queries too in future!!!!!
Charley

kiwi · Valued Member Joined: 02 Apr 2004 Posts: 126

from the wife of a newly qualified teacher (primary...but could do secondary if he wanted..doesnt want too) last April....

and still no luck with work (100's apply for the odd position available in chch each week)

If you go to somewhere that is rural (maybe far north island etc) you might have better luck getting a job......

$20k student loan..and still unemployed!!!

Nicky

ps havent been much help have I!!! Just be aware they are only crying out for teachers in some places.....dont believe all you read about in the media..we have discovered to our amazement.

charley · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 25 Jul 2004 Posts: 26

Hi Nicky,
That's really helpful to know. I have no idea of what the need for primary teachers in NZ is. I've been told by the university where i was planning on training that you need to be flexible in terms of where you work at the end, which is difficult for us as the children will have settled in school.
I understand the visa situation will be difficult - ie. if I don't find a job at the end then we will ultimately have to leave as my student visa will run out. Also, I'm not sure how long my partner's visitor visa will last (I'm assuming it's as long as my student visa - around a year).
Thank you so much for your personal insight - I wish your husband all the very best in finding a job.
Best wishes, Charley

Graham Barnes · Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 3:09 am Post subject:

Hi Charley,

NZ is definitely not short of primary teachers I'm afraid...so it is almost certainly not worth your while spending time and money getting such a qualification. Even if you did manage to land a job, the visa would be hard to obtain because there is no shortage of natives able to do the job instead of you!
Secondary teaching is a different matter however, and is likely to remain so for some time, particularly for certain subjects and in some hard-to-staff areas...if you are willing to consider teaching bigger, noisier Kiwi offspring. Most NZ schools are quite willing to employ UK-trained teachers, who are well regarded out there. But they so prefer to appoint overseas teachers who already have some experience.
My brother teaches in Dargaville and nearly half the staff there are overseas-qualified, for example.

Graham

Moorf · Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 3:42 am Post subject:

Charley - I believe the longest visitor visa term available (with the exception of a WHV) is 9 months - you can go for 6 mths (as a UK citizen) with no visa but you can apply for a 9 mth visa from the UK prior to departure or extend from 6 mths once in NZ.....

I think that after that you can not return to NZ for 18 mths (or is shorter?!) Confused

charley · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 25 Jul 2004 Posts: 26

Thanks Moorf ("Thoroughly good egg????") and Graham - useful stuff. I'm seriously thinking now about applying for jobs related to my existing MSc and applying for teacher training later after i've got residence. Really good to hear people's personal experiences - so glad i found this site!!
Bye for now, Charley

Moorf · Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 10:25 am Post subject:

ruthyroo · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 39

hi there, just a couple of points to follow up
There is 'officially' a shortage of primary teachers in Aukland, still on the OSL as far as i know, but that's the only place in NZ. Also, bear in mind that if you do your training in the UK you will generally not have to pay fees, whereas if you are a student (not PR) in NZ you will be classed as an overseas student and charged whacking great fees to do your PGCE equivalent. try contacting TeachNZ - they are the official agency concerned with all things teaching related, and have been charged with bringing in overseas teachers. Their website gives a good indication of where the shortages are, and they generally respond to emails.

Lee&Nicky · I Like It Here Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 70

Hi Charley,

It looks like you are looking at a similar road map to emigration as me. I have been advised to try and get a job and PR before considering returning to full time education to retrain for the teaching profession. This route gives me certainty in relation to right to reside in NZ plus, as has been pointed out, means I would also qualify as a domestic student and therefore not paying exorbitant international student fees.

Also can confirm that demand for primary school teachers is not high at the moment (except in a few specific areas) but more opportunities at senior school level. Might be worth looking at the Victoria University and Wellington College of Education websites as they run some courses which allow you to qualify to teach at all levels, which may be handy in terms of trying to maximise your longer term job prospects.

Lee

charley · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 25 Jul 2004 Posts: 26

Hi again, have been off line sweltering in high temperatures wishing i was a bit cooler in NZ (we went there last summer for 5 weeks - it was bliss!)

Thanks for replies on my teaching query. We've decided on getting a job first and PR before I embark on teaching. I'm not sure if i have to live in the country for 2 years to be considered a permanent resident. Some of the info from university prospectuses says that if you apply for grants a 'permanent resident' is one who has been granted residence and lived in the country for 2 years. Does this apply to those who apply to university and hope to pay home student fees I wonder? Courses are subsidized by the government so I guess it's possible that tuition fees will be at overseas rate for the first to year on your residence?