• Two students have been the first to graduate from Charles Sturt University’s Collaborative Teacher’s Aide Pathway (CTAP) program
• The CTAP program helps teaching support staff advance their careers to become fully qualified teachers
• More than 630 students are enrolled through the CTAP program across Australia

 The Charles Sturt University Collaborative Teacher’s Aide Pathway program has celebrated its first two graduates in line with World Teachers Day on Saturday 5 October 2024.

The Collaborative Teacher’s Aide Pathway (CTAP) helps teaching support staff take the next step in their career to become fully qualified teachers, with more than 630 students enrolled across Australia.

One of those students, Ms Kailee Jones from Dubbo, was the first of two to graduate from the program with a Master of Teaching (Primary) after already completing a Bachelor of Educational Studies in 2023.

“The Charles Sturt team was extremely supportive in helping me find the best path to take and in helping me determine what credits I could and could not transfer after having already completed two and a half years at a different university,” Ms Jones said.

“Because of this, I was able to complete my Bachelor of Educational Studies in one year, and then compile my Master of Teaching (Primary) into one year of studies, all while teaching my own Year 5 class as part of the internship.

“Whilst this was challenging, it provided me with invaluable experience that taught me how to be flexible, manage my time, and how to differentiate my teaching to suit a range of learners.”

This flexibility is a key benefit of the CTAP program, according to Associate Professor in the Charles Sturt School of Education Dr Libbey Murray.

“Charles Sturt is working hard to guide existing school support staff to become qualified Primary and Secondary teachers in order to improve the supply of high-quality teachers across Australia,” Dr Murray said.

“By valuing their current contributions to the profession, allowing them to study online while continuing to work in schools, and supporting their skill development to become qualified teachers, we are seeing outstanding results in this area.”

Since its inception, the CTAP program has seen remarkable growth, from 39 enrolments in February 2022 to more than 630 students in September 2024.

The program boasts a retention rate over 80 per cent, which is nearly double the national average for teacher education courses.

“Our students range in age from 19 to 65, with an average age of 39. Many of them are mid-career professionals who are upskilling and bring valuable experience to their studies,” Dr Murray said.

“The bespoke support we offer at Charles Sturt to help balance study, work and life is a huge win for our students, particularly for those in rural and regional areas. We are driven by strong partnerships, a community-focused approach, and wraparound support from systems, schools, the University and families.”

Ms Jones now works at a school in Newcastle teaching her own Year 3 class and said her educational journey has been invaluable.

“By working throughout my studies, I was able to apply new concepts and teaching strategies that I was learning throughout my courses straight away with students,” she said.

“I also found that working as a Teacher’s Aide whilst studying gave me a greater range of experience, therefore allowing me to consider and relate to hypothetical scenarios that we would consider throughout tutorials.

“This experience has benefited my journey to become a teacher, providing me with opportunities to gain experience and build connections with schools while pursuing my studies.”

It was Ms Jones’ mother who inspired her career path, having been her teacher for three years during primary school.

“Now I aspire to be a life-long learner, continuously strengthening my skillset to hopefully make a difference in the lives of my students,” she said.

World Teachers' Day is celebrated every year on 5 October. As this date is within the NSW school holidays, this year, World Teachers' Day will be celebrated in NSW on Friday 25 October 2024. More information on the CTAP program can be found here.

Apply now to study in our summer semester commencing on 11 November.