There’s no denying the fact that Australian teachers are some of the best in the world. To help maintain these high standards and ensure students right around the country continue to have the best learning outcomes possible, all states and territories require educators to undertake some level of teacher professional development to maintain their teaching registration. So, whether you are a full-time classroom teacher, casual relief teacher, or sit somewhere in between, teacher professional development in Australia is a must.
Because these requirements change from time to time, and differ between states, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the requirements where you are, particularly if you have recently moved or haven’t checked in for a while.
To help you out, we’ve put together a list of the teacher professional development requirements for every Australian state and territory. We’ve also included an update to ClassCover Learn—our online teacher professional development platform featuring over 95 hours of online, self-paced teacher PD including NESA-accredited courses.
Teacher professional development Victoria Teacher professional development in Victoria requires all teachers in the state to complete 20 hours of professional development every year to maintain their registration. These 20 hours can be from topics of the teacher’s choice, provided the PD references the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST).
Teacher professional development QLD
Teachers in Queensland must complete 20 hours of professional development for every year that they teach more than 20 days.
The requirements for teacher professional development in QLD require all PD to be in line with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
Aside from that, teachers are encouraged to undertake a range of different PD, including teacher identified and school directed professional development.
WA – Professional Development for Teachers
Teachers in WA must complete 100 hours of professional development in the period since their registration was last renewed — this is typically 5 years.
Professional development for teachers in WA requires teachers to complete some mixture of formal PD activities, like online or in-person courses through a recognised provider, or informal activities such as readings, meetings with colleagues or development of educational policy.
SA – Professional Development for Teachers
Professional development for teachers in SA involves undertaking 100 hours of study for every 5-year registration period.
South Australia defines professional development as any planned or unplanned activity that improves a teacher’s potential to encourage student growth, supports the learning outcomes of children, or helps align to school or system priorities.
Tasmania – Teacher Professional Development
Unlike most other states and territories, there is no set number of hours of teacher professional development that educators in Tasmania must complete to maintain their registration.
Instead, all practicing teachers must engage in some form of professional development activity each year. In Tassie, this is defined as anything that contributes to professional compitance, directly or indirectly enhancing teaching and learning.
Northern Territory – Teacher Professional Development
All teachers in the Northern Territory must complete 100 hours of relevant professional development over the 5-year registration period. Additionally, teachers are encouraged to incorporate a wide range of different activities into their learning. In the NT, the definition of what is relevant PD is relatively broad, including:
- School-based PD including professional development days and guest speakers
- Online learning including self-paced learning, web conferences and webinars
- Structured networking with teachers or other professionals
ACT – Teacher Professional Development
Teachers in the ACT must complete 20 hours of professional development each year to maintain their registration.
The PD must be TQI accredited which reflects the Australian Professional Standard for Teachers. Aside from that, teachers in ACT can choose whichever type of professional development they like, including online PD, school-based PD and more, proving it's TQI accredited.
