If you’re considering a sea or tree change, but you’re not sure where would be the right fit for you and your family, consider these short-term opportunities to experience teaching and living in a rural or remote community and find out where your teaching career could take you next.
Teacher Flying Squad
Our Teacher Flying Squad provides teachers and teaching couples with the opportunity to explore rural, remote and regional areas of Queensland while supporting colleagues and students in these communities and gaining valuable teaching and leadership experience in different school settings.
Short-term placements (for up to a semester) are available for primary and secondary teachers in the schools and communities where they are most needed across our Central Queensland, North Queensland, Far North Queensland, and Darling Downs South West Queensland
regions.
Permanent state school teachers are guaranteed to return to their base school at the end of the placement and temporary teachers may have the opportunity to secure permanency at the placement location.
Benefits and incentives
In addition to the valuable professional and personal experiences gained when teaching and living in the rural, remote and regional areas of our state, if you are selected for a Teacher Flying Squad placement you will be supported by a range of incentives, valued at up to $20,000 per term, including:
- accommodation in a serviced apartment (or similar), with full kitchen facilities, funded by the department
or in teacher housing with the rent and electricity funded by the department
- payment of an allowance equivalent to $149 per day to assist with general living expenses (approximately $7,450 a term)
- payment of locality allowance in accordance with the
Queensland Government Locality Allowances Directive (PDF, 424KB)
- access to up to 2 return trips home (your original departure location) when relocating for 1 term or longer (travel available as either kilometric allowance or flights)
- kilometric allowance to drive your personal vehicle from home to commence at the placement/temporary school and return at the end of your appointment, where applicable
- accommodation (if required) and expenses, if driving your personal vehicle from home to commence at the temporary/placement school and return at the end of your appointment.
To find out more about our Teacher Flying Squad including how to express an interest visit
Smart Jobs.
Express your interest
Rural and Remote Teacher Experience Program
The Rural and Remote Teacher Experience Program (RRTEP) is another great way to explore the range of professional, personal and lifestyle benefits that are available to teachers and their families in rural and remote communities across Queensland.
The RRTEP provides state school teachers with a week-long experience in a rural or remote school and community. The program includes a 1-day orientation with the host school, a weekend living in the community and five days of classroom teaching.
Host schools are identified by the department and welcome participants to the community, provide a local orientation, and an introduction to school priorities, policies and practices.
The RRTEP is currently available in communities with the following education regions:
Opportunities may also be available for classified officers in negotiation with host schools.
Preference will be given to applicants with a strong desire to pursue a rural or remote teaching role or promotional opportunity in the near future.
The program is available across the year, with the week-long experience to be negotiated between the participating teacher and their home school, and the RRTEP host school and region.
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must be current Queensland state school teachers, working in the North Coast, Metropolitan North, Metropolitan South or South East regions, or in a regional city such as Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone and Toowoomba.
Eligible participants include current Department of Education employees in the following roles:
- Teacher (primary, secondary and special education)
- Principal
- Deputy Principal
- Head of Campus
- Head of Program
- Guidance Officer
- Teacher in state delivered kindergarten program
- Regional school sport officer
- Education Officer Special Duties (EOSD).
Temporary teachers are encouraged to apply and will be considered if their contract covers the experience period.
Benefits and incentives
This program provides you with the opportunity to experience living and working at a state school, in a similar role, within a rural or remote location.
You will experience first-hand the personal and professional benefits available to teachers (and their families) in your placement and similar communities across the state, while continuing to be paid your usual salary and having your travel and accommodation funded by the department.
Networking with colleagues in the host school and fostering ongoing professional relationships will also be beneficial, especially if you decide to relocate to a rural or remote community.
While in the school and community you will also have the opportunity to consider future vacancies, career progression and leadership opportunities, and find out about
financial incentives and benefits available to teachers in the host school and community.
Express your interest
Submit your expression of interest in participating in the RRTEP through our
online form.
The form requires you to indicate your preferred placement region(s), and you can access information about each
education region on this website.
Please ensure that you have the support of your principal before submitting your expression of interest. An email from your principal confirming their support for your participation in the program will be required as part of the application process.
Express your interest
More information
Information for Department of Education staff only, including schools interested in hosting teachers RRTEP is available on OnePortal or by contacting our Employee Experience and Retention team by emailing
ruralandremote@qed.qld.gov.au.
Be inspired—Sarah's story
Sarah left her fast-paced lifestyle on the Sunshine Coast to find a very welcoming community and teaching experience in Far North Queensland.
Read her story.
More stories about rural and remote teaching are available on the
Department of Education YouTube channel.