Expanding teacher pathways for education support staff

Across regional and rural communities, schools continue to face a critical shortage of qualified teachers. Many education support staff already supporting students have the aspiration and experience to transition into teaching, but face barriers related to cost, distance and balancing study with work and family commitments. In response, Charles Sturt offers the Aspire to Teach scholarship program supported by the Australian Government’s High Achieving Teachers grant. Aspire to Teach provides a flexible online study pathway, enabling participants to remain employed in their school while progressing through teacher education.

Launched in 2025 with 50 participants, and achieving a 100 per cent retention rate, the program is removing longstanding barriers and strengthening the regional teacher workforce. As one participant shared: “The program has given me the confidence and support to pursue teaching – something I never thought would be possible.”

This initiative advances equitable access to high-quality education across regional Australia.