The Victorian Government has released the Victorian Teacher Workforce Snapshot for 2023, formerly known as the Teacher Supply and Demand Report, which shows the outlook for the supply of teachers in the state over the coming years has improved.
The report provides a snapshot of Victoria’s school and early childhood teaching workforces, using data to forecast whether there will be sufficient teachers to meet demand through to 2029.
Fresh data shows Victoria has made progress on growing the supply of teachers, showing workforce initiatives and incentives continue to see results.
Early childhood and Primary school settings are forecast to meet demand by 2029 and there have been positive trends in high school education numbers.
The Victorian Government said the positive trend has been underpinned by its investments in schools and early childhood workforce initiatives. It has invested more than $1.6 billion in school workforce initiatives since 2019.
Key initiatives include secondary teaching scholarships, paid placements for pre-service teachers, employment-based teaching degree programs for undergraduates, targeted financial incentives for hard-to-staff roles and the expansion of supports for early-career teachers.
There has been a 23 per cent increase in student teachers enrolling in secondary undergraduate education courses through VTAC compared to 2023, and a 10.2 per cent increase in registered early childhood teachers from 2023 to 2024.
The Victorian Government said it will continue to work closely with any schools experiencing immediate workforce pressures ahead of the 2025 school year.
It is also investing almost $370 million in a range of initiatives to attract and retain quality early childhood teachers and educators to deliver the Best Start, Best Life reforms including scholarships, financial incentives and career supports.
Since 2019, the number of early childhood teachers and educators delivering funded kindergarten programs across the state has grown by more than 50 per cent.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll said Victoria is home to the most talented teachers in the nation.
“I want more Victorians to pursue a career in education which is why we’re backing them with the resources they need to do an excellent job – and this report shows our investment is paying off,” he said.
“Teachers are the bedrock of our education system. This report provides a detailed look at our workforce, allowing us to continue to drive the growth of our top-class teaching workforce.”
