Queensland College of Teachers

Internships

An Internship is an advanced professional experience within a preservice teacher education program following completion of the required minimum number of days of supervised professional experience. An Internship provides a transition into the teaching profession through a reduced workload, support of a mentor and must be ‘authorised’ by the QCT.

Internship Authorisation

An Application for Internship Authorisation form must be completed by the University and submitted to the QCT for approval prior to the commencement of the internship. Applications can only be received from Queensland universities with approved internship programs. The person designated as the institution representative on the Application for Internship Authorisation form must be an academic staff member who has the authority to certify that the stated conditions have been met.

An Internship authorisation must be obtained from the QCT prior to any preservice teacher commencing an Internship. Preservice teachers are unable to commence the roles and responsibilities of an intern until the approval is granted.

The authorisation is valid only for the period of internship. It is not a form of teacher registration and preservice teachers should be advised that they must apply for teacher registration in the usual way following completion of their teacher education program.

 

Application for Internship Authorisation form

 

An Internship authorisation may be granted by the Queensland College of Teachers subject to the following conditions:

• that the Institution attests to each preservice teacher's fitness to undertake an internship with the support of a mentor teacher, i.e. that each preservice teacher is of good character and has successfully completed the necessary prior academic studies and practical experience of the approved preservice teacher education program
• that each preservice teacher will teach in specified year level(s) or subject area(s) only
• that the teachers whose classes are allocated to preservice teachers will retain responsibility for the oversight and management of their classes' curriculum and assessment programs
• that the teaching program planned and implemented by each preservice teacher will be normally limited to an average of a half teaching load over the internship; and
• that suitable arrangements have been made by the school principal and the Institution adviser for supporting and mentoring the work of each preservice teacher.