While the teacher shortage has been a persistent problem in Australia since the 1970s, worsening youth mental health issues, soaring administrative workloads, and the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic have only served to drive more teachers away from the job.
In 2024, a nationwide survey of independent, Catholic and government schools found that 92% of respondents had significant difficulties in attracting and retaining staff, while 97% reported being severely impacted by workload concerns.
However, a new report suggests fresh solutions are emerging.
A Department of Education evaluation of Teach For Australia’s High Achieving Teachers Program has confirmed the initiative is strengthening the nation’s leadership pipeline.
TFA’s Leadership Development Program, launched in 2010, is a two-year employment-based pathway into teaching, making it an attractive option for career-changers and individuals from other professional backgrounds.
Below, The Educator speaks to TFA’s CEO, Edwina Dohle, about how principals can leverage the LDP for succession, the program’s role in tackling teacher shortages, and the powerful impact of equity-driven leadership in schools.
TE: LDP alumni move into leadership roles at a much higher rate than those from traditional pathways, and they feel more confident and prepared to take on those roles. What aspects of the LDP experience do you think best equip participants for leadership, and how can school leaders leverage this when planning their own succession pipelines?
Teach For Australia’s flagship Leadership Development Program equips participants for leadership by starting early – recruiting purpose-driven individuals with the mindset and competencies to thrive in complex school environments. We recruit for six key capabilities including motivation, learning potential, relationship building, communication, adaptability and strategic thinking. From day one, participants are in the classroom, gaining hands-on experience while receiving evidence-based, trauma-informed and inclusive teacher training, and wrap-around support. This real-time learning accelerates confidence and supports their progression into leadership roles. For school leaders, it’s a model that demonstrates how important targeted recruitment, professional development and structured mentorship and support can be to accelerate growth and strengthen the school leadership pipeline.
TE: TFA has shown success in attracting professionals and graduates who might never have entered teaching otherwise. What do you think this means for principals facing ongoing staffing shortages moving forward in 2025-26?
For principals navigating ongoing staff shortages, particularly in regional, remote and disadvantaged areas, Teach For Australia offers a proven alternative pathway. Over 2000 teachers work in particularly hard-to-staff areas and disciplines like maths and science through our flagship Leadership Development Program. By combining intentional recruitment, professional coaching and support, and a strong network of alumni, we’re making teaching and school leadership a compelling career-choice for high-achieving professionals and graduates. Our employment-based pathway also allows candidates to earn an income while they learn, removing financial barriers and attracting diverse talent.
TE: Another encouraging finding was that LDP teachers can match or even surpass typical grads by their second year. What’s driving that rapid growth, and what can schools learn from it?
Teach For Australia accelerates teacher development through a blend of targeted recruitment, evidence-based professional learning, and wrap-around support. From the outset, we recruit candidates with leadership potential, a passion for equity and key skills – problem solving, communication, influencing, planning and self-reflection. Our training draws on leading research, integrating cognitive load theory, the science of learning, and trauma-informed practices, delivered in partnership with ACU. Through ongoing mentorship and coaching, we help build our participants’ adaptative leadership skills, empowering them to thrive in complex school environments supporting them to manage everything from challenging classroom dynamics to lesson planning. The key takeaway for schools is to invest in the full ecosystem – recruitment, evidence-based learning and quality mentoring to help create a solid foundation for early-career teachers to be able to hone their craft.
TE: Educational equity is of course an unwavering focus for TFA. How does that shape your alumni as leaders, and can you share an anecdote that speaks to the impact this has had in their schools?
We recruit participants who have a deep commitment to educational equity and that has never waived since Teach For Australia was first established. We know that those who are driven to make a difference are more likely to take on the responsibility from day one, provided they have the necessary supports along the way. That’s why we have higher completion rates than other initial teacher education pathways. Nick Mozley, a former engineer now Head of Maths at a high school in Geraldton in regional WA, exemplifies this. Originally from Perth, he was keen to move regionally to work with First Nations students. Immediately after completing the two-year program, his principal offered Nick the Head of Maths role, and because TFA prepared him well, he felt ready to take the next step in his career. Since stepping into a leadership position, Nick has fostered a culture of high expectations, challenging assumptions of what students can achieve. Drawing on his engineering background, he’s introduced a project-based framework that treats each school year like a structured initiative – with clear goals and milestones for his students to hit, with a focus on measurable progress. This approach has not only strengthened student outcomes but has also lifted a sense of purpose and momentum across the maths department.