/ How to Become a Teacher's Aide - Career Salaries, Job Stats & Education

Thinking of a Career as a Teacher's Aide?

Teacher Aides help and assist teachers in the classroom and give extra attention to students to support them with their learning and development. This new nationally recognised qualification has been custom-designed by industry experts for two categories of potential workers; those who are already working as Teacher Aides and are looking to formalise their qualifications, and to prospective employees seeking work.

Teachers Aide Job Outlook

The graph shows historical and projected (to 2019) employment levels (thousands) for this occupation.

Source: *Job Outlook Government website. ABS Labour Force Survey, DEEWR trend data to November 2014 and DEEWR projections to 2019. Estimates have been rounded.

Over the three years to November 2019, the number of job openings for Education Aides is expected to be high (greater than 50,000). Job openings can arise from employment growth and people leaving the occupation.

Employment for Teacher/Education Aides to 2018-19 is expected to grow very strongly. Employment in this very large occupation (71 700 in November 2011) moderately rose in the past five years and strongly in the long-term (ten years).

Teachers Aid Salaries

Source: *Job Outlook Government website. ABS EEBTUM survey August 2014 cat. no. 6310.0. Estimates have been rounded and consequently some discrepancies may occur between sums of the component items and totals.

Note: These figures are indicative and cannot be used to determine a particular wage rate.

Payscale.com lists the wage for a Teacher Aide/Assistant as being between an average of $50 000 to a maximum salary of $69 000.

Teachers Aide Weekly Work Hours

The graph shows the average weekly hours (by gender and full-time and part-time) worked for this occupation, compared with all occupations. 

Source: *Job Outlook Government website. ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2014.

Teachers Aide Age Profile

Due to the nature of the work for gaining industry experience, Teachers Aides have a strong appeal amongst young people, making it an experienced industry working along side full time teachers.

 Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2014.

New Legislation Affecting Teaching Careers

According to the ABS, Australia's second most common occupation is now "community and personal service", which includes those who work in health and welfare support, carers and aides, hospitality workers, protective service workers, and sports and personal services workers. This group represented 9.7 per cent of Australia's labour force and the sector is continuing to grow rapidly.

Tourism Workers Education Levels

Source: *Job Outlook Government website. ABS Labour Force Survey, annual average 2014.

What Teacher Aide Qualification Do You Need?

Certificate III in Education Support

If you are currently working or seeking work as a teacher’s aide, this new nationally recognised qualification covers what you need to know.

Why aim to be a Teacher Aide through Open Colleges?

Our Teacher’s Aide course is delivered online, giving you the flexibility of organising your study around your life. You can enrol anytime of the year and study at your own pace.

Among other things, you'll learn how to comply with legislative, policy and industrial requirements in the education environment and how to support behaviour of children and young people.

You'll also learn how to contribute to student education in all developmental domains and how to work with diversity in the education environment and to set up and sustain individual and small group learning areas

Your course includes comprehensive student support to help you throughout your study. This certificate allows you to graduate with a government-accredited, nationally recognised qualification that can boost your chances of employment.

Interview with a Professional Teacher Aide

In two sentences, tell us what a bit about your previous role; working as a Teacher Aide

As an Education Assistant I assisted the teacher in preparing and delivering a full education programme to help and encourage children to become independent, resilient and enjoy learning.

What does a Teacher Aide do on a day to day basis?

I worked in a Pre-primary situation and some of my daily duties were:

• Setting up the classroom for the daily activities
• Setting up the outdoor playground
• Preparation for activities
• Supervision of small group activities
• Preparing and cutting fruit for sharing at fruit time
• Interacting with children by reading books and helping with puzzles

What are the best parts of the job?

For me the best parts of the job was interacting with the children every day and watching them grow, develop and learn.

What skills/attributes do potential Teacher Aides need to have?

Some of the skills I think that are required for the job as an Education Assistant are firstly a love of children.

Patience, tolerance, initiative, able to work independently and to be able to follow instructions are also important.

What are your favourite things about working in the teaching industry?

My favourite thing about working in the teaching industry is having an influence on the learning and development of the children and seeing the results when they achieve!

Thanks, Barb, for sharing your story with Open Colleges.