QTU promotion panel nominees: selecting education leaders
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 128 No 1, 17 February 2023, page no. 12
The leadership skills of education leaders are a key factor in school effectiveness, but how do we make sure that the right people are in the right role?
The Department of Education uses selection panels to go through candidates to find the most suited to a particular promotional position. A selection panel is convened for every permanent and most temporary positions.
All panels for permanent (and most temporary) classified teacher vacancies must include an endorsed QTU promotion panel nominee. The selection panels will determine the means of assessing suitability and merit and must consider the suitability and merit of all applicants consistently and in accordance with the requirements of the vacancy.
The selection of a candidate is based on the panel’s assessment of merit. The following elements are taken into account when determining merit.
- The extent to which each candidate has abilities, aptitude, skills, qualifications, knowledge, experience, and personal qualities relevant to the carrying out of the duties in question.
- The candidate’s performance in their previous duties and their potential for development is also considered, if relevant.
All panellists share the same responsibility on a panel. Each panellist may bring a different perspective to the task, but it is this melding of different perspectives in seeing the knowledge, skills and achievements of candidates that is the greatest strength of this process, allowing everyone to be confident that the decisions made are legitimate and that the most meritorious candidate will be successful.
QTU representative panellists ensure that panels comply with set procedures at all times. Their focus on ensuring all candidates are treated consistently, ethically, and fairly by the selection process provides candidates with confidence that the process has operated as intended and without bias.
Who can be a QTU promotion panel nominee?
To become a QTU promotion panel nominee, a QTU member must fill out a “Form G” nomination form (see the onsert included with this Journal or email services@qtu.asn.au) and undertake QTU promotion panel training.
It should be noted that just because a person has completed the QTU promotion panel training it does not mean they are an endorsed panel nominee, as they also need to fill in the “Form G” nomination form, which must then be endorsed by QTU State Council, which meets four times a year. It is only when the nomination has been endorsed by QTU State Council that a member is considered an endorsed QTU promotion panel nominee.
It is important to note that a QTU promotion panel nominee cannot be the panel chair and QTU nominee on a panel at the same time.
How to source a QTU promotion panel nominee?
Departmental regional offices should have an up-to-date list of endorsed QTU promotion panel nominees for the region. The QTU updates this list throughout the year.
QTU promotion panel nominees for principal positions are selected by the relevant officer of the QTU and are sourced by DoE regional offices.
QTU promotion panel nominees for all other classified teacher vacancies (e.g. deputy principal, guidance officer, head of program) are selected by the panel chair. If the panel chair is unable to obtain an up-to-date list from their regional office, they can email services@qtu.asn.au and a list will usually be provided the same date.
If a panel chair is having trouble sourcing a relevant QTU representative, they should ring 3512 9000 or email services@qtu.asn.au