Please see an update from Daniel Seymour (Adelaide Botanic High School) on communications regarding training:
D&T Teacher shortage in SA – Update
The Dept’s ‘Machinery equipment and electrical safety standard’ states that teachers working within D&T must be deemed competent by having either a nationally recognised competency or certification; or previous experience.
Over the past 15 months I have been liasing with various units within the Dept (WHS, People and Culture, Curriculum, TRB) to clarify what ‘previous experience’ can include. It’s been a bit of a process, though the aim was to find a way for suitable teachers to move into D&T without needing to retrain through university.
I was advised by the WHS unit earlier this year that the “Safe use of machinery for technology teaching” course delivered by TAFE SA was intended for current D&T teachers, and was not designed to allow people to move into D&T. I had also been previously advised against delivering our own onsite training program for non-D&T teachers. Though, some schools have been upskilling their own non-D&T teachers as a way of managing the shortage, and wearing the risk should anything go wrong.
Well, that all changed recently!!
Please find the statements from the Manager of the Work Health and Safety unit below – I can forward you the email rather than using this post as evidence if required.
“Site leaders [ie Principals] have the ability and responsibility to determine and monitor the competence of their teaching staff
Site leaders may use one or more of the options below to determine if a teacher should be permitted to work in a D & T environment:
- teachers may be temporarily relocated to another site for coaching by another experienced D & T teacher
- teachers may be shadowed and upskilled by another trained and experienced D & T teacher
- consideration and review of the teacher’s qualifications, training, skills and previous experience
- site leaders may also require a prospective D&T teacher to complete the department’s TAFE course (Safe use of Machinery for Technology Teaching). This training may be considered as a component of teacher competence when considered in combination with other experience, training, or expertise.
Site leaders may use one or more of the options above to determine if the teacher should be permitted to work in a D & T environment.
You may also refer to The Design and Technology Teachers Association (DATTA – SA) for additional guidelines and resources on D & T teaching.
I also note that this information is provided to ensure site leaders may determine if teachers are able to work safely in a D& T environment. This information is not intended to be used as guidance regarding teacher competence.
Manager Work Health and Safety”