Factors Influencing the Decisions of University Students to Become High School Teachers

There is considerable evidence of impending teacher shortages throughout Australia and indeed most nations. Research so far has generally concentrated on how to improve the satisfaction of the current teachers and reduce the resignation rate, especially of early career teachers. This paper looks at the factors that influence the decisions of university students in deciding to pursue or not to pursue a career as a teacher. This study analyses the survey responses of over 400 university students throughout NSW in regard to their attitudes to becoming high school teachers and provides some possible policy implications of the results. (Contains 2 footnotes and 6 tables.)