Teacher shortage

Student teacher: “I reached my limits”

Magdalena Quintus knows her way around children. After kindergarten school, she began her teacher training. She also teaches at an elementary school in Tennengau.

(Bild: Tschepp Markus)

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

(Bild: Huber Patrick)

Salzburg's schools are short of teachers, with 108 of them recently being sought. That's why career changers and young people from the University of Teacher Education are helping out. A student who teaches at an elementary school in Tennengau reports. 

In her early 20s, she didn't even have a bachelor's degree and was already standing in front of an entire primary school class in Flachgau. "I asked myself, 'Is it okay how I'm doing it? You do reach your limits," says Magdalena Quintus.

Like many students, the young woman from Tennengau is employed in schools due to the shortage of teachers. "Where it is not possible to find qualified staff before the start of school, the education authorities should approach students in advanced semesters," says the Minister of Education.

The new school year begins in Salzburg on September 9. There is still a shortage of teachers.

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

Students in a balancing act also face headwinds
The Salzburg staff association for compulsory school teachers considers the young teachers who have not yet completed their training to be an emergency solution. We should be grateful to them, says one trade unionist. Some professors at their university, however, feel a headwind when they help out in schools. After all, they say, they would be studying full-time if they missed lectures because they were working at school.

Getting a taste of practice
The prospective teacher Quintus is certainly convinced of her challenging path. "I can get a taste of working life and earn money," says Magdalena Quintus.

Career changers are in great demand in German
This year, she will already be teaching 12 hours plus preparation lessons. The 24-year-old and career changers who have studied something other than teaching are in high demand, especially in the subject "German as a second language". According to ÖVP Education Minister Daniela Gutschi, there are currently 283 lateral entrants in Salzburg, 65 of whom are active. In view of the great demand, the education department is particularly pleased about the large number of certified lateral entrants in science subjects - and in German.

Trade unionists want to recruit students for school classes on social media again next week. They believe that the official online platform for finding teachers provides far too little information about vacancies. School starts on September 9. Most recently, the state of Salzburg was still looking for 108 teachers. The application process ends this week.