Establishing an employment-based trainee teacher position
Learn more about how school boards can establish an employment-based trainee teacher position
School boards of state or state-integrated schools and kura can apply to establish an employment-based trainee teacher (EBTT) position.
Employment-based initial teacher education (EBITE) attracts high-calibre students into teaching and equips them with the skills and knowledge they need to meet the needs of diverse learners.
Students participating in employment-based teacher training (EBTT) have the flexibility to study around time spent in the classroom. It enables trainee teachers to earn while they learn, build confidence with more in-classroom experience and be supported by a strong mentoring programme.
To be eligible to establish a trainee teacher position within a school or kura, your board must:
- attest that the school or kura is capable of providing a robust mentoring and support programme
- work with a provider who is delivering an employment-based Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme
- ensure the trainee teacher holds a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) from the Teaching Council
- fund the position from the board’s own funds.
In addition, we strongly recommend that your school board ensures the trainee teacher has been accepted to start an approved employment-based ITE programme before appointing them. This avoids appointing a trainee teacher who has been unable to secure a place on an approved programme.
Providing a robust mentoring programme
Your school board must attest that your school or kura is able to provide a strong mentoring programme to support the trainee teacher through their ITE programme while they are teaching.
ITE providers will provide your school or kura with information and advice about how to support and mentor trainee teachers.
The Teaching Council commissioned NZCER to carry out a literature review on high quality practica and the integration of theory and practice in initial teacher education in 2017. You can read the full report or the summary for information for providers and boards on the features of quality practica placements.
Working with an ITE provider
Your school board must work with a provider who can deliver a Teaching Council-approved employment-based ITE programme, as students appointed to trainee teacher positions must be enrolled in and complete an approved programme. Ako Mātātupu Teach First NZ is currently the only approved provider.
Together with the provider, your school board must fully commit to supporting the trainee teacher to complete the qualification.
Limited Authority to Teach (LAT)
During the time the trainee teacher is teaching, they must hold a LAT as approved by the Teaching Council. See more information on the Teaching Council website.
- Decide whether you need a trainee teacher. Consider any potential changes to rolls, staffing or funding that might impact on whether it is an appropriate option to use a trainee teacher. You can contact the NZ School Boards Association for advice about whether an EBTT position is the right option for your school or kura
- If you decide to apply to establish an EBTT position, check whether your school or kura meets the eligibility criteria.
- Contact the ITE provider to discuss your needs and what candidates are available. You will also need to come to an agreement regarding each other’s roles and responsibilities.
- Complete the EBTT Request Form, which can be found in the popular resources section of this page.
Email: EB.TT@education.govt.nz (preferred method)
Post: Ministry of Education, Scholarships and Awards team (EBTT), PO Box 1666, Wellington 6011.
Next steps
We’ll check your application to make sure it is complete, including that the attestation is signed. If we need more information from you, we’ll be in touch. Once we have received all of the information, we’ll work with the Education Review Office (ERO) to decide whether to approve or decline your request and email you with our decision.
If your request to establish an EBTT position is approved, you can:
- advertise and appoint a trainee teacher within 12 months of the request being approved. Note the position once approved is only valid for a 12-month period. If this lapses you will need to reapply.
- check that the trainee teacher has been accepted to enroll on an approved employment-based ITE programme.
- provide guidance to the trainee teacher on how to obtain a Limited Authority to Teach, if not already done
- set the trainee teacher up on payroll (see below).
If your request to establish an EBTT position is declined, you can:
- appeal the decision in writing and by submitting any additional information addressing the reason your application was declined.
Setting up payroll for your EBTT
You need to set up your trainee teacher in the same way as any new teacher, using the NOVO1t form available from the EdPay website. Use the most recent version as Education Payroll will return out-of-date, incorrect, illegible or incomplete forms to you for re-submission.
EdPay and forms – Education Payroll
You should also complete a NOVO7t and send it to the Salary Assessment Unit as per standard process. After assessment, the Salary Assessment Unit will liaise with the pay centre to ensure the trainee teacher is on the correct pay grade and step. If necessary, any difference will be back paid.
Salary assessment – Education Payroll
Funding
Trainee teachers are not ‘regular teachers’ as defined in Section 91A (1) of the Education Act and, therefore, their salaries cannot be paid out of teachers’ salaries.
Education Act 1989 – New Zealand Legislation
You must pay trainee teachers in accordance with the untrained employee or teacher rate stated in the relevant collective agreement. The correct step will be assessed by the Salary Assessment Unit, and made according to the trainee teacher’s experience and qualifications.
Your school board must fund the employment-based trainee teacher (EBTT) position from their own funds. We cover the cost of 0.2FTTE in the first year of the programme, and 0.1FTTE in the second year for a mentor teacher to work with the trainee teacher. This will be paid through teachers’ salaries. If your school or kura requires additional mentoring support during the second year of the programme, you will need to speak directly with your employment-based programme provider
The conditions are:
- Your school board continues to provide mentoring and support required by the Ministry and by agreement with the ITE provider.
- Your school board works with a provider who can deliver an approved employment-based ITE programme for the trainee teacher and the trainee teacher continues to fulfil the requirements of the programme.
- Your school board funds the trainee teacher from its own funds.
- The trainee teacher maintains a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT) for the duration of the programme.
If the conditions are not met, the trainee teacher position will be reviewed.
Once the EBTT position is established and a trainee teacher is appointed, the EBTT position is operational for as long as the trainee teacher is on the programme. This could be 2 or 3 years. We must be notified of any changes to the trainee teacher's status during the programme, such as withdrawal from training, leaving employment, or any other circumstances affecting their eligibility or participation. The position will lapse once the trainee teacher completes the programme.
If there are changes to the trainee teacher’s status during the programme, the school board must inform the Ministry by writing to EB.TT@education.govt.nz. The board can either re-advertise the position and appoint an eligible applicant, or allow the EBTT position to lapse.
Filling a teaching vacancy
An employment-based trainee teacher position cannot be used to fill a teaching vacancy.
It is possible to use someone in an employment-based trainee teacher position to temporarily cover some or all of the teaching responsibilities of a vacancy. However, this should only be a short-term solution, and the school board should explore other options, including using relievers.
If using a trainee teacher to provide cover, the school board must show that it can provide adequate mentoring for the trainee teacher in their specialist subject, and the vacancy must be advertised at least once a year.
Complying with the State Sector Act 1988 and the collective agreements
Recruitment, selection and appointment processes for EBTT positions need to comply with the State Sector Act 1988, insofar that any employment-based positions must be advertised, and appointments should be based on merit with the board acting independently in deciding who to appoint. School boards must also comply with any appropriate clauses in relevant collective agreement(s).
