Episode 15: Recruiting and retaining kaiako and kaimahi

A crucial part of being a tumuaki is recruiting teachers and support staff and setting them up for their role in your school, and that's what we're talking about today. In this episode, we cover the recruitment process, your options for recruitment during a teacher shortage, incentive schemes, and helping them settle in.

 

My guests are:

• Maynard Scott, National Employment Relations Advisor Te Whakarōputanga Kaitiaki Kura o Aotearoa - NZSBA
• Kate Gainsford, tumuaki of Aotea College in Wellington and Chair of Secondary Principals’ Council
• Merlin Callister, Workforce Supply & Leadership, MOE

 

This podcast was produced for the Ministry of Education as part of Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals.

 

You can learn more about this topic by accessing Te Ara Tīmatanga mō ngā Tumuaki - The Beginning Pathway for Principals e-learning modules on the Education LMS: https://training.education.govt.nz

 

Show notes

Episode themes:

• Who has the power to appoint staff in a school
• Steps in the recruitment process
• What you are and aren’t allowed to do in the recruitment process
• Different kinds of employment agreements
• The global teacher shortage and what it can mean for a school
• Recruiting from overseas
• Incentive programmes for teachers
• Helping new staff settle in
• Advice for recruiting and retaining staff.

 

Additional information

Workforce Initiative Searcher for Principals https://workforce.education.govt.nz/principals-and-schools/initiatives-schools-and-kura/workforce-initiative-searcher-principals

 

Questions

1:08 [ Maynard] Can you tell me who in a school is responsible for the recruitment of teachers and support staff? 

2:34 [Maynard] What are the steps in the recruitment process?

3:33 [Maynard] What are and aren't you allowed to do in that recruitment process? 

5:30 [Maynard] Once you've made the offer and the role has been accepted, tell me about the kinds of agreements or contracts that kaiako and kaimahi might be employed under.

6:59 [Kate] There's been a chronic shortage of teachers in recent years in New Zealand. What do you think has contributed to this situation?

7:54 [Kate] What's your experience of this in your own school? Have you had issues with recruitment yourself?

9:58 [Kate] Do you have similar challenges with recruiting support staff?

10:36 [Kate] Do you often look overseas for teachers, or what other options do you look at if you can't find people within New Zealand?

12:06 [Kate and Merlin] How can a new tumuaki find out about recruiting from overseas?

13:55 [Merlin] What different incentive programmes does the Ministry run for teachers?

16:41 [All] There was talk a while back about using LATS - people with limited authority to teach. Can you tell me a bit about what they are?

18:06 [All] What advice would you give new tumuaki about recruiting kaiako and kaimahi?

26:18 [Kate] When a new teacher does start your school, what kinds of things do you do to induct them into the school and teach them the way things work?

27:36 [All] What can tumuaki do to retain kaiako and kaimahi?