Victoria celebrates both growing number of teachers and scholarship milestone 

The Victorian Government is celebrating the growing number of teachers in the State, with an announcement from Minister for Education Ben Carroll and Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn welcoming new figures which show that a number of new teachers have joined the education sector in the past two years, demonstrating the effectiveness of initiatives to address workforce needs.

Nearly 1,700 new school teachers joined Victoria’s government schools between June 2023 and June 2024, while the number of new early childhood teachers who have gained provisional registration grew by almost 50 per cent in 2023, while fully registered early childhood teachers also grew by 10.2 per cent over the same period. 

One workforce growth initiative which has proven especially successful is the delivery of over 5,000 Early Childhood Scholarships (which includes both the general EC Scholarship and the Aboriginal Pathways Scholarship) since the scholarship program began.

“We have made significant investments in initiatives to grow and support the kindergarten workforce as we roll out our Best Start, Best Life reforms in partnership with the early childhood sector,” Minister Blandthorn said.

“The growth we’re seeing in early childhood teachers demonstrates the success of this investment, with a 10.2 per cent increase in registered early childhood teachers.”

Early Childhood Scholarships

Early Childhood Scholarships are available for eligible people who are commencing study or are already studying an approved course to become a registered early childhood teacher. This includes educators who are looking to upskill.

Up to $25,000 available to help support studies.

Early Childhood Aboriginal Pathways Scholarships

Aboriginal Pathways Scholarships are available for eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who want to become an early childhood teacher or educator, including those looking to upskill and those already studying.

This program reflects the Victorian Government’s commitment to improving Koorie education outcomes, by supporting the growth of the Koorie early childhood workforce.

Up to $34,000 available to help support studies.

Applications for Early Childhood Scholarships are open year round, with a letter of offer from the tertiary institution of choice required. 

Learn more about Early Childhood Scholarships in Victoria here. To make an application please use this link.