OPEN BOOK TO TEACHING
THE opportunity to inspire may be the main drawcard of working in the education and training sector – but those considering this career path should also look at the salary. SEEK data reveals average advertised salaries are higher in Queensland than New South Wales, and grew by the second-highest rate in the nation in the past year.
The average salary advertised for education and training jobs in Queensland was $77,637, a 3 per cent growth year-on-year – topped only by Victoria, which grew by 8 per cent to $81,682.
NSW job ads, which rank last in the country, were an average $76,862.
South Australia leads the list with an average job ad salary of $83,030.
Christian Brothers College human resources manager Carolyn Herraman says many people are not aware of how competitive the salaries are in the education and training sector.
“Becoming a teacher is not promoted as a profession in the same way as other technical professions such as engineering, information technology or sales, for example,” she says. “Maybe that’s because although the hard skills are imperative as an educator, the soft ones are paramount.”
Relational skills, resilience, empathy and genuine presence are not recognised on a transcript.
Herraman says, however, there are many reasons to consider a career in education, including the opportunity to gift lifelong learning to kids.
“Just as ‘people’ was the appealing aspect to human resources as a career option for me, the educational sector is all about the people, the young and the not so young,” she says.
Jobseekers who decide to pursue a career in education must then ensure they choose the right employer for them – based on more factors than salary. Herraman recommends looking at organisational values and how they are embedded at the institution.
“Values can either be a few words on display or they can shape a culture,” she says.
She also recommends understanding the employer’s view of 21st century education. “It’s the buzzword, but what does it actually look like for the employer? This is an indicator of their vision and your fit.”