Welcome new educators!
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 131 No 1, 20 February 2026, page no 15.
Welcome to all new educators joining our profession. The QTU knows this year will bring many firsts, many challenges, and a lot of learning curves. Knowing your rights and responsibilities can help you to negotiate your new role. To help you get started, here is some information and a few tips.
Teacher registration vs probation
Provisional registration is commonly confused with probation. These are separate processes − one organised by your employer, the Department of Education, and one by the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT).
| Teacher registration | Probation | |
| Who conducts the process? | QCT | Department of Education |
| About the process | Most beginning teachers have been granted provisional teacher registration by the QCT. You will be able to transition to full registration after one year of full-time teaching (200 days) if you demonstrate that you meet the graduate level Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST). The provisional registration period can be extended if needed. | If you are a new, permanent employee of the department, you will be required to pass probation. This is usually an eight-month process. Throughout your probation, expectations, support, and timelines for meetings should be agreed. At the end of your first three months, you should be provided with an interim performance review by your principal, which must be recorded on the applicable form. Any areas of concern must be identified, and an agreed action plan developed. A formal appraisal will be conducted by the end of six months of service (usually July), resulting in a recommendation of either confirmation or termination of appointment. |
| Further information | Go to www.qct.edu.au to learn more. | Contact your school’s Union Representative or QTAD. |
Mandatory training and beginning teacher induction
All new employees are required to participate in mandatory all-staff training (MAST) modules, as well as modules that form part of a beginning teacher induction program. While not mandatory, the Beginning Teacher Learning Suite (an online resource consisting of ten modules) is highly recommended.
Beginning teacher mentoring
The Department of Education State School Teachers Certified Agreement 2022 requires beginning teachers to have access to structured mentoring support. The QTU position is that mentoring and beginning teacher programs should be appropriately funded and undertaken during your rostered duty time.
Enterprise bargaining and arbitration
The QTU is a registered industrial organisation, recognised by both the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission and your employer as the employee representative organisation in negotiations.
Last year, the QTU began negotiating with your employer to improve your working conditions. These negotiations continued throughout the entire year, with QTU members demonstrating their strength and solidarity by participating in two 24-hour stop work actions, the first in 17 years. In 2026, we will focus on the next step in this process, arbitration, where the QTU will again represent members to secure improved working conditions and salaries.
Stay connected with your Union
Contact the Queensland Teachers’ Assist Desk or QTAD for quick access to basic information and advice on your working conditions or, in more complex cases, to be referred to a specialist QTU Officer. Call 1300 11 7823 (1300 11 QTAD) or visit www.qtu.asn.au/qtad.
To contact your local QTU Organiser or local QTU office, visit www.qtu.asn.au/contact.
You can also follow the QTU on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
We would love to see you at a forthcoming branch meeting, which is held once a term. It is a fantastic opportunity to meet your local QTU Organiser and other teachers from your local area. Details can be found at www.qtu.asn.au/branch-meetings.
If you are not yet a QTU member:
- talk to your school’s QTU Workplace Representatives
- visit www.qtu.asn.au/join.
- call (07) 3512 9000 and ask for our membership team.