Teach For Australia
6 opportunities
Australia
Jun
A little bit about Jun
Life Before Teach for Australia
Law
Teaching Areas
Legal Studies, Chinese –Mandarin, English as an Additional, Humanities
Current Employment
Policy Manager at the Department of Education (Victoria)
Jun wanted to do something meaningful and impactful in his life. Originally from Brisbane, he was considering his career options in law and diplomacy. Teaching wasn’t on his list until he learned about Teach For Australia.
“I never intended to be a teacher until I found Teach For Australia, where I could work towards a bigger goal of systemic change and impact,” he says.
“My placement was in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. My school was very multicultural and diverse which made the place really interesting. I had a wonderful experience at my school and loved working with all the different type of students as well as interacting with the different parents.”
“I learnt that I was quite capable of adapting to situations quickly and that I could lead. It really set up an orientation in myself that I could do anything and helped me to apply for my senior positions after the Leadership Development Program.”
Jun is now a Policy Manager at the Department of Education in Victoria, committed to a vision of an Australia where all children, regardless of background, achieve an excellent education.
“I know that to address educational inequity, it requires multiple players in multiple sectors. But the thing I miss about teaching is interacting with young people each day and helping them grow and learn.”
Kath
A little bit about Kath
Life Before Teach for Australia
Manager at Ernst & Young
Teaching Areas
Legal Studies, Accounting, History
Current Employment
Classroom Teacher at Mill Park Secondary College
After nearly nine years in the corporate world, Kath realised that she wasn’t doing what she loved.
“I had plenty of time working for commercial gain,” she says, “and knew I wanted a renewed focus on doing something that is beneficial to society as a whole.”
She wanted a career with more social interaction, and less time sitting behind a desk. Kath wanted to pass on the opportunities she had in her education to another generation of students, but Kath didn’t want to put her life on hold to change careers.
“A priority for me was to not feel that I was taking a step backwards in my professional life, and taking two years out of paid work to attend a conventional Masters degree,” Kath says.
“The draw of the Leadership Development Program is that it throws you in to work straight away – and that very much suited me.”
“The most rewarding part of the program is that I get to form new connections every day with those who are either in the education system (students) or are passionate about improving it (Associates, staff, other teachers).
“To be able to guide my students through subjects that I love and to see them become interested in and motivated to pursue the subject is really something.”