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Re-branding education as a career choice

By Simon Breakspear - posted Monday, 19 May 2008


So what could be done?

Let’s take professional development and training for example. Educational leaders must stop viewing training as merely a tool for staff development, and see it as a tool for attraction, retention and employer brand building. The number one thing Generation Y looks for in an employer is for potential to “build their resume”. Talent are looking for organisations that will train and develop them to become more employable.

The common school professional development model of one or two full day lecture sessions a year is dead. Research is clear that coaching and mentoring models of training are more effective and result in greater employee satisfaction.

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So what are schools doing to train and develop young talent?

Each school should implement or expand a beginning teacher mentoring program. Such a program would specifically target young graduates and help to improve their instruction, use of technology and increase their level of professional competency. And after the first two years? Why not create an “aspiring leaders” mentoring program. An executive staff member could mentor young talent through a career progression plan. Opportunities to take small (or significant) additional leadership positions may arise. Some may be subsidised to complete Masters level qualifications.

The take away point - educational leaders must create enough opportunity, challenge and value for quality talent to stay.

This is just one example of the shift necessary to change culture and re-brand education as a career of choice. Similar tactics could be applied in the areas of:

  • early recruitment strategies - Gap years, cadetships and internships;
  • promotion procedures - promoting leaders not non-leavers;
  • professional development opportunities;
  • physical workplace environment;
  • new incentive and rewards structures;
  • structures for innovation and collaboration; and
  • executive leadership mentoring and development.

School cultures shaped by such practices will retain current talent and lead a new generation of Australian’s looking for significance in their work to seriously consider education. So what needs to happen from here?

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First, let’s do a culture audit of the employment cultures within Australian Schools. Government, Catholic and Independent schools need to gain a clear picture of the current situation.

Second, governments at all levels need to facilitate the leadership of principals. Systematic policy changes are required to allow educational leaders to have greater control in shaping their own school cultures, such as allowing principals to choose their own staff.

Third, and most importantly, educational leaders must be encouraged and equipped to step forward and lead. Money could be well spent on broad-scale professional development programs for principals and executive staff on how to attract and retrain quality professionals through implementing successful culture building practices from other industries.

I do not propose to have all the answers, but together the educational community does. If only we would shift the focus of the conversation with educational leaders to something that we can control - culture - and we may see the re-branding of education as a career of choice.

It is time for educational leaders to get on with the daunting and exciting task of building attractive workplace cultures and actively going after talent for their classrooms. With proper focus and initiative we can curb the tide of teacher attrition and, in time, build a new brand for a career in education: a brand of innovation, opportunity and significance.

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About the Author

Simon Breakspear is an Associate of the Centre For Skills Development - an organisation that brings industry, government and education together to focus on critical community-minded projects. Simon is also the founder and Educational Director of Nextgen Learning, an innovative educational company committed to inspiring and equipping Australian students to reach their academic potential. Simon welcomes further comments or ideas in response to this article. Correspondence should be sent to sbreakspear@sacs.nsw.edu.au.

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

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