Lower intake of teachers in training may see even higher graduate employment rates
New national literacy and numeracy standards coinciding with a decrease in enrolment may see even higher employment rates for graduates of Avondale’s education courses.
The introduction of the standards is likely the primary reason for the enrolment decrease in the college of higher education’s teacher education courses. “This raising of the bar may have dissuaded some students from enrolling, but it’s going to benefit those who did,” says Associate Professor Peter Beamish, Dean of the Faculty of Education, Business and Science.
To meet the standards, Avondale has embedded within its courses alternate pathways into the profession. For example, students now begin their first practicum with a more mature view of the profession and with more academic experience—they complete 12 not four units of study before being placed in a classroom.
Avondale has also developed strong partnerships with employers across all school sectors, particularly those in the independent school sector. “This means our students have an extremely good chance of getting a job,” says Beamish.
According to the 2015 Australian Graduate Survey, more than 80 per cent of education undergraduates at Avondale found employment within four months of completing their degree in 2014. The Australian average that year: 70 per cent.
While the standards should increase the quality of teaching, they may also increase demand for teachers, particularly in the independent school sector. The New South Wales Council of Deans of Education, of which Beamish is a member, is working with the Department of Education, the Board of Studies and Teacher Education Standards and the school systems to analyse needs. “There is no surplus of teachers in the sectors Avondale partners with,” says Beamish, “and we know this because the employment rate of our graduates is so high.”
Beamish’s message to prospective teacher education students at Avondale is this: “Christian teachers see teaching as more than a job, more than a career. It’s a calling. Anybody thinking of becoming a teacher should listen to their head but also to their heart. Ask yourself, Is God calling you to make a real difference with your life? If He is, consider becoming a teacher.”
Despite the decrease in enrolment, education—with 479 students—is the most popular discipline at Avondale this semester.
Enrolment in most of Avondale’s other disciplines—including arts, business and theology—increased. And postgraduate courses continue to appeal, with a growing number of students enrolling in the new Master of Philosophy, the Master of Teaching and the Graduate Certificate and the Graduate Diploma in Lifestyle Medicine. The last two are unique to Avondale, which has built the courses from the ground up rather than incorporating them into an existing degree.
After setting records over the past two years, the Bachelor of Nursing, the most popular course at Avondale, has also seen a decrease in student numbers. While enrolment is down, pressure on delivering clinical placements has eased. “It means we can continue offering a quality clinical experience for our students,” says Associate Professor Paul Race, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Nursing and Theology. The Discipline of Nursing restructured staffing this past year to manage clinical placements for the record number of nursing students.
Enrolment at Avondale for semester one this year is 1384. This equates to about 474 when measured as equivalent full-time student load (EFTSL), a decrease of about 27 over semester one this past year, when enrolment rebounded from a downturn. EFTSL relates directly to income.
“I suspect all higher education providers offering courses in education will face enrolment challenges this year,” says Academic Registrar Dr Gwen Wilkinson. “I think we all see new national standards as a good thing, even if it initially means lower enrolment.” She is gratified, though, to see higher enrolment in postgraduate courses, particularly those in lifestyle medicine. “We continue to attract a growing number of students.”
Share
Author
