Photo caption: Senior Lecturer in Education Dr Kristy O’Neill, left, Creating Chances Ben Lawry, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall and Creating Chances Head Facilitator Emily Hikaiti at the University of New England with an announcement of $410,222 State Government funding to support employment pathways for Year 9-11 students.
Wednesday, 26 April 2023
THE University of New England, in collaboration with Creating Chances, has been awarded a $410,222 State Government grant for a new program designed to support Years 9-11 students’ employment pathways, Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall announced today.
Mr Marshall said the program would pilot the Growing Great Teachers (GGT) Strategy at 13 identified primary, central and high schools across Armidale, Tamworth, Glen Innes, Guyra and Uralla.
“The Growing Great Teachers program aims to build school employment pathways for future teachers, school learning support officers, community liaison offers and Aboriginal education officers,” Mr Marshall said.
“Core skills in the program include leadership, teaching and coaching, planning, and communication – I have no doubt these skills will be useful in future employment.
“With acute teacher shortages being experienced in many schools across country NSW at the moment, especially in key subject areas, this new program comes at a most propitious time.
“I hope Growing Great Teachers will inspire, encourage and open up a pathway for school students to go on to university and into long successful teaching careers.
“Congratulations to Dr Kristy O’Neill and Creating Chances on this initiative and for securing the funds to turn it into reality.”
Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of New England Dr Kristy O’Neill said they were excited to receive the funding.
“We are thrilled to secure this grant to benefit youth in the New England region,” Dr O’Neill said.
“Our local youth have identified skill development for career pathways as a top priority to address their needs.
“Equally, critical teacher shortages are a major challenge of our times in the New England and beyond.
“Partnering with Creating Chances is an exciting prospect due to their strong track record of facilitating evidence-based youth development programs with young people across NSW.
“Their Growing Great Teachers program developed in collaboration with the NSW Department of Education has timely benefits for our region.
“The applied research that Professor Pep Baker and I will be conducting around this project has potential to provide a best practice model in addressing the problem of critical teacher shortages more broadly across NSW and Australia.”
The planning phase identified with schools will commence in Term 2, 2023 with a Term 3 launch.