Every teacher has a story about workload, burnout, or what keeps them in the job, but those stories rarely cut through the politics.
The Australian Teacher Workforce Survey is one of the few chances teachers get to put real classroom experience directly in front of the people shaping reform. And right now, with the survey still open in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania, every response strengthens the data governments rely on to make decisions that actually reflect school realities.
The latest Australian Teacher Workforce Data (ATWD) National Trends report shows just how powerful this data can be. It captures everything from the support early career teachers receive — only 55% say they had a formal induction, with mentoring proving the biggest lifeline — to the value of experience, with 8% of teachers clocking more than 40 years in the job. It also highlights how quickly some leaders rise, with 16% of principals stepping into the role within a decade.
These insights are already shaping workforce planning across Australia, but they’re only as strong as the number of teachers who take part, which is why completing the survey matters now more than ever.
Recently, The Educator spoke to Tim Bullard, CEO of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL), which runs the survey, about how teachers’ contributions are shaping the national evidence base – from what the latest data reveals, to how it’s influencing policy, supporting returning teachers and informing the profession’s future.