A town in regional North Queensland is helping Australians pursue their career dreams thanks to a thriving job market.
Charters Towers is attracting teachers from across the country as the region focuses on rural leadership development and offers career pathways and advancement opportunities not seen in capital cities.
Justin Power grew up in Victoria and relocated to Charters Towers from New South Wales after accepting a secondary mathematics and physical education teaching position at a local secondary school.
“I relocated to coastal New South Wales for a tree change and took a year off to really assess my teaching options after working in a range of schools in regional and metropolitan locations.
“I was looking for something different, I wanted to work in a school where I could immerse myself in the community while advancing my career and exploring new parts of Australia.
“The school I’m at in Charters Towers really stood out as a thriving school with a culture that supports staff, teaches students to contribute positively to their communities and focuses on the whole person. Personally, it was a great chance for me to live and work and be part of the community,” said Justin.
According to Justin the opportunities to upskill were also appealing when he made the move to Charters Towers in 2021.
“The Queensland system allows teachers to do a lot of professional development through their promotion of online learning and have helped me upskill as a teacher.
“It’s opened up an avenue to access free professional learning from the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, something that hasn’t been as obviously available in other capital cities or regions I’ve taught in,” he said.
As for the school itself, Justin said he loves meeting local students and their families and the students who come from all around Australia.
“I’ve met so many students and families from Charters Towers and from different parts of Australia which brings such diversity to the classroom.”
“The opportunity to be in a really strong and supportive environment has made a big difference to my career and renewed my passion for teaching. My school is home to teachers who care and take time to help students learn and develop.
“The school really takes care of its staff and makes sure we work in an environment that’s positive, collegial and supportive. As a result, the teaching quality is very high”, he said.