Defining early career teachers: examining the Australian policy context to better support a rapidly diversifying phase

This paper explores the question of how early career teachers are currently defined, alongside the induction supports required in a profession that is rapidly diversifying and depleting. The question of “who is now considered an early career teacher?” is explored as both a problem and solution to the global teacher shortage, through an examination of the recent successive suite of policy recommendations aimed to address the staffing crisis. It is argued that a series of “fast policies” in the Australian context are reshaping the very definition of who qualifies as an early career teacher, driven by the rise of accelerated and employment-based programs and the incentivisation of diverse groups and pathways into teaching, particularly for career change teachers. As a consequence, pre-service teachers are now increasingly likely to be on contract or employed as casual relief teachers, often working unsupervised while still completing their degrees. Alongside recent policy reforms aimed at addressing the teacher shortage are traditional strategies focused on supporting early career teachers, including mentoring and induction processes. Using a Bacchian-inspired study, the findings suggest that while traditional induction measures remain valuable, differentiated support is essential to address the diverse and evolving needs of today’s early career teachers.