Career change teacher: exploring perceptions from 23 Australian teacher educators

Career change teachers (CCTs) are heralded in international education policies as key to addressing teacher shortages and increasing quality and diversity in the profession. Using a qualitative approach inspired by Ball's discursive facet of policy enactment, interview responses from 23 Australian teacher educators were examined. The aim was to determine how these teacher educators spoke and thought about CCTs as well as how they discursively positioned this cohort in the profession. Findings revealed teacher educators described CCTs in multiple ways and discursively positioned them as complex. While the policies may be well intended, the authors point to three possible "perverse effects" of CCTs as a policy solution to teacher shortages: (1) the attrition rather than the retention of CCTs; (2) the valorising of personal and professional qualities over quality teachers and teaching; and (3) the further homogenisation rather than diversification of the teaching profession. Recommendations are suggested for mitigating these possible effects.