Placements: How we help you find your fit

The essence of the Leadership Development Program is going where you are needed to help ensure all young people get the transformative education they deserve.

Before this can happen, however, we need to match you with a school that is looking for your specialist skills and knowledge, but that is also right for you.

Incoming Associate Relationship Manager, Coco Carter, gets a front row seat to the intricate dance of placing Associates every year.

‘We really think about everything!’ she says. ‘Not just your location preferences, but your hobbies and values.’

‘We really capture this holistic version of you.’

It goes without saying that finding a school that needs your specialist subject can be hard, and sometimes the stars don’t align.

‘We want to make sure that this position and placement is both right for you and right for the school,’ Coco says. ‘That really needs to match up.’

‘Ultimately, we can’t always give you everything. That’s why it’s important to be flexible.’

Maximising your chances

Securing a placement may require you to cast your net wide and be open to relocation. 

Caroline Dehn from Cohort 2025 moved to Tasmania for the program despite not having visited since she was 8 years old.

‘I grew up in Melbourne,’ she says. ‘Then lived overseas for a bit, came back and decided I hated it! I was like, “I need to get out.”’

When it came time to giving her location preferences, she listed the Northern Territory as an option, but said she was open to moving anywhere.

‘They were like, “How about Tassie?’”

‘When I was telling friends that this was going to be my next thing, they all said, “Caroline, you will love Tassie. You will fit in there.”’

‘And I've absolutely found that to be true. I love it.’

While being flexible and open to multiple locations will increase your placement potential, we understand relocating isn’t possible for everyone.

If you are unable to move and you live in a metropolitan area, such as Melbourne, it's important to know that almost all of our schools are located in the outer suburbs or growth corridors.

We want you to be honest when selecting your placement preferences so we can find you the best fit and set you up for success – don’t just tell us what you think we want to hear!

Finding accommodation

Finding where you’ll live is for you to organise, but we will go to lengths to help you on your way.

‘We often connect our Associates with people within the community,’ says Coco.

This speaks to the advantages of moving regionally for the program.

‘The benefit of moving to a regional placement is that they are often established TFA communities,’ Coco says.

‘So, there’s going to be people who will help you and that can make things a bit more manageable.’

It’s also worth talking to the school directly to see if they are aware of any opportunities.

And what about support or initiatives to help you move?

Well, it depends on where you’re going.

‘Certain states have great relocation supports,’ Coco says.

‘It is state by state, but it’s worth investigating to see what you might be eligible for.’

Placement in a nutshell

The placement process varies for everyone because there are so many factors involved – it could happen as early as June, or as late as December – so don’t be disheartened if it takes a little longer for you.

This is because while we typically start placing Associates in July, some schools only know their staffing needs at the end of the year.  

While this can be stressful; don’t panic! Every year 25% of our cohort start the program and participate in National Initial Intensive without a placement. This is an unavoidable part of the teacher job market.

As Coco says, we’re right here beside you for the journey.

‘There's a big team of us who are constantly talking about you,’ she says. ‘You're not just a number.’

‘If you ever have any concerns or things that you're worried about, you're always welcome to book a call.’