If the recent experience of a global pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that as a society, we’re a lot more receptive to change, seeking opportunities and the idea of a ‘pivot’, particularly reassessing where and how we choose to live.
It is reported that across Australia, post-pandemic regional relocations increased by around 300%1. With affordable housing, abundant job opportunities and the hope of a more balanced lifestyle, heading away from the city has become the new ‘black’.
For teachers interested in making the shift to a rural or remote community, now is the time to get on trend.
We have a foray of support services for teachers interested in taking up a rural or remote teaching job that makes the pivot all that more attractive; and by the sounds of Emerald based teacher Jessica Belford’s testimony, there’s more to the move than you could ever imagine.
A new teacher herself, Jess was initially convinced that the key positive to going rural or remote would be a fast-tracked permanency, however, what she discovered was so much more.
Jess has shared some of the hidden perks of embracing rural and remote teaching roles.
'Framily'
One of the issues raised by prospective candidates around relocation to a rural or remote location is the disconnection from support networks and close family2.
With a young family herself, Jess also had a similar concern, however, she soon learnt that due to many of the teachers in her school and the surrounding community also having relocated, she had an entire army of likeminded souls on her doorstep.
'Every single person who heads out there is for the same reason,' she said.
'You may not necessarily have friends or family with you, so those people in your education support network become your community.
It’s not only the teachers that are out there that treat you like family, but also the community members who you meet through the school… They are friends that turn into family... your framily.'
Fun
Shifting from the bustling hype of a typical metropolitan city may induce visions of a sleepy, dormant lifestyle and be a deterrent for young people at the heights of their social life; however, Jess swears the fun may look different, but there’s never a dull moment in the country.
'The best thing to do when you go out there is to open up your world. Don’t shut yourself away. There are so many social events where the teachers and community get together. The races, lighthouse parties, education conferences and more,' she said.
'Not only do the towns and regions have everything you need, you’re so close to amazing places that you wouldn’t know exist. Such as gem fields, tablelands, the dinosaur trail,' exclaimed Jess.
'It is like Vegas, a town pops up out of nowhere, you pass through and then nothing again. It’s amazing.'
Future
Finally, aside from the lifestyle and relationship components of a rural or remote experience, it’s the access to career development opportunities, support and experiences that can significantly influence a teacher’s long-term career prospects.
The Centres for Learning and Wellbeing that are spread across rural and remote Queensland are just one of the access points for gaining valuable professional learning that can lead to enhanced career progression. Jess also credits smaller staff numbers for providing greater opportunity for leadership and growth.
'Now that I have returned to the coast, I have found that my teaching skillset is highly sought after. I was part of some (privately) funded research for the 'big 6 comprehension strategies' that I wouldn’t have accessed if I was working metropolitan,' she said.
'I’ve developed some really rich knowledge and greatly enhanced my pedagogical skillset.'
If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of rural and remote teaching in Queensland, visit the
rural and remote benefits page.
1 Muval,
Moving Trends in Australia, Relocation Of The Nation,
https://cdn.muval.com.au/media/docs/MuvalIndex_UnboxingRelocationOfTheNation_2021.pdf (PDF, 3.2MB)
2 Hernan Cuervo & Daniela Acquaro (2018) Exploring metropolitan university pre-service teacher motivations and barriers to teaching in rural schools, Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 46:4, 384-398, DOI: 10.1080/1359866X.2018.1438586hr