The Albanese Government has announced a significant expansion of its High Achieving Teachers (HAT) Program, tripling the number of teachers recruited through the initiative. A $70.9 million investment will help recruit nearly 1,500 new teachers from diverse backgrounds to address the growing teacher shortage in Australia’s schools.
The HAT Program provides financial assistance, mentoring, and fast-track training to help individuals, including mid-career professionals and high-achieving school leavers, transition into teaching roles. The expansion comes as part of the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan, agreed to by Education Ministers in 2022, aimed at addressing the nationwide teacher workforce crisis.
In a statement on Sunday, Education Minister Jason Clare emphasised the crucial role teachers play in shaping young lives. “We don’t remember much about when we are little, but most of us remember our teachers’ names. That shows just how important our teachers are, and the impact they have on us. And we don’t have enough of them,” Clare said.
The HAT Program, already in place in Victoria and New South Wales, has seen promising outcomes. Ninety-four percent of graduates from the La Trobe Nexus program, one of the providers, continued teaching after completing their training.
Program aims to attract diverse teaching candidates
The new investment will allow 10 educational institutions across the country to recruit and train more teachers. These include universities and organisations, such as Teach for Australia, Australian Catholic University, and La Trobe University. The teachers trained under the program will be placed in both government and non-government schools starting in 2025, with a focus on regions experiencing the most acute teacher shortages.
Participants will earn a salary while balancing classroom experience with studies. With the model, the government aims to attract candidates from a wide range of fields, including STEM, as well as from underrepresented groups such as First Nations peoples, individuals with disabilities, teacher aides, and those living in remote areas.
The initiative aims to bolster teacher numbers across all states and territories, spanning both primary and secondary education. The first cohort of the expanded HAT Program will begin entering classrooms next year.
The following institutions have been selected to implement the HAT Program:
- Teach for Australia: 475 places
- Australian Catholic University: 285 places
- La Trobe University: 231 places
- Charles Sturt University: 100 places
- Western Sydney University: 100 places
- Queensland University of Technology: 90 places
- Edith Cowan University: 74 places
- University of Canberra: 60 places
- University of South Australia: 42 places
- University of Tasmania: 40 places