Tackling Australia’s Male Teacher Shortage: Insights from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Completion Data - Insights from Teacher Education (ITE) Completion Data

Oct 15, 2026

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The under-representation of males in Australia’s teaching profession remains a longstanding concern, with forecasts predicting worsening due to an aging male teacher population and persistent views that teaching is women’s work. This paper examines trends in male initial teacher education (ITE) degree completion using open, non-identifiable completion data from 2001–2021, across Australian ITE programs. Findings indicate increased completion for external and multi-modal study modes and decreased completion for internal study mode for both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

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Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 50 Issue 3 | Article 1 | | --- | --- | | 2025
Tackling Australia’s Male Teacher Shortage: Insights from Teacher Education (ITE) Completion Data
Loan Dao
University of New South Wales
Jeanne M. Allen Griffith University
Darren Pullen
University of Tasmania
Scott Cowie
Griffith University
Follow this and additional works at: [https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte](https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte)
Part of the Other Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons | Initial | Recommended Citation Dao, L., Allen, J. M., Pullen, D., & Cowie, S. (2025) . Tackling Australia’s Male Teacher Shortage: Insights from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Completion Data. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 50(3) . [https://doi.org/10.14221/1835-517X.6270](https://doi.org/10.14221/1835-517X.6270) [This Journal Article is posted at Research Online.](This Journal Article is posted at Research Online.)[ ](This Journal Article is posted at Research Online.)[https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol50/iss3/1](https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol50/iss3/1) Tackling Australia’s Male Teacher Shortage: Insights from Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Completion Data Loan Dao University of New South Wales Jeanne Allen Griffith University Darren Pullen University of Tasmania Scott Cowie Griffith University Abstract: The under-representation of males in the Australian teaching profession has been an issue of concern for some time. With predictions that the situation will worsen due to an aging male teacher population and the enduring perception that teaching is females’work, this paper explores trends in male initial teacher education (ITE) degree completion in a sample ofAustralian ITE programs from 2001 to 2021 to gain insights into which types of teaching degrees and delivery modes of study are most likely to attract potential pre-service male teachers. Open access and non-identifiable male ITE completion data were obtained from the Australian Government. The results, which arepresented and discussed in this paper, show an upward trend in male ITE completion in the external and multi-modal study modes and a downward trend in the internal study mode for both undergraduate and postgraduate ITE degrees. This paper adds to the literature on gender representation in teaching, pathways and accessibility in teacher education, and teacher supply, providing insights that may inform policy and practice initiatives that could help to address the male teacher shortage in Australian schools. Keywords: Higher education; initial teacher education; male teachers; male teacher shortage; teacher gender; teacher supply. Introduction It is widely known that there is a shortage of men in the teaching profession worldwide, particularly in the primary school sector (e.g., Australian Council of Deans of Education [ACDE], 2019 ; Carroll et al., 2021; Cruikshank et al., 2021; McGrath & Van Bergen, 2017; Moosa & Bhana, 2017; Rentzou, 2016 ; Willis et al., 2021) . For example, countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States have reported similar concerns about male teacher representation in primary schools (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD], 2019). The OECD (2019) has highlighted this shortage, urging governments to make the teaching profession more attractive by way of increased wages and to address barriers, such as stereotypes, low status, and limited career progression, for those wanting to enter the profession. While there is inconclusive empirical evidence on whether male teachers positively impact the academic outcomes of students (McGrath et al., 2020), a call to address the male teacher shortage lies in the argument that male teachers play an important role in the social and psychological development of students (McGrath & Van Bergen, 2017 ; Reich-Shapiro et al., 2021) . It has been widely argued that the teaching workforce shou

FAQs

What data and time range does the study use to analyze male ITE completion?

The study uses open access, non-identifiable male initial teacher education (ITE) completion data obtained from the Australian Government, covering cohorts from 2001 to 2021.

How do male ITE completion trends differ by study mode?

Results show an upward trend in male ITE completion in external and multi-modal study modes, and a downward trend in the internal study mode for both undergraduate and postgraduate ITE degrees.

Why does the paper frame male teacher shortages as a policy and practice issue?

It argues that increasing male entry and completion in ITE could help address gender imbalance in the teaching profession and inform initiatives aimed at improving accessibility and pathways in teacher education.

Oct 15, 2026

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