Meet the Founder of StaffView: A Dedicated Teacher and Relief Teacher in Adelaide
Alicia Blake - Founder and Creator
I completed my Early Childhood teaching degree in 2009 and began my career as a Temporary Relief Teacher (TRT). It didn’t take long to transition into primary teaching contracts as I built my connections with schools. By 2015 I found myself drawn to the serenity of rural settings, embracing the role of a preschool teacher and later experiencing a leadership position.
However, throughout my career progression, one aspect remained a constant source of frustration and stress - the unpredictability of our hiring process. To be totally honest, by 2018, I decided to stop applying for positions. I just needed a break from all the application writing, you know? I figured I'd leave it up to the universe and find some peace in that decision. And you know what? I felt pretty happy about it! Sometimes, you just gotta let go and let things unfold on their own, right?
In the year 2020, I moved back to suburbia and worked a 0.6 contract. I was loving the work-life balance and regained my strength and passion for teaching. When my contract was about to end, I started doing TRT work again, and you know what? I realised that going from place to place and seeing new classrooms everyday was absolutely perfect for me. It’s funny how things change because back at the beginning of my career, all I wanted was my own class. But now, this nomadic teaching adventure feels just right for me! It’s amazing how our perspectives can shift overtime, isn’t it? 😄
Why a new system for advertising education jobs to casual teacher and educators in Adelaide?
The difference between TRT work in 2010 and now was that the education system had evolved, relying more on online booking systems. I loved the fact that I didn’t have to do the leg work to go see everyone, but I also missed being able to build the connections and get asked to work from known sites.
I felt like there was not many places in my area that I could get work as they were either happy with a small personal list of people that received all the shifts OR they were using an online booking system and I was not being given the chance to show my interest or my experience.
I also felt frustrated that I was:
Required to update my availability each week.
Asked to request connections to receive work from different schools, this led to uncertainty and inconsistency in my job opportunities.
Trying to connect with sites but some job requests remained unanswered for months, causing frustration and hindering my ability to work in more places.
Receiving notifications during my downtime making it difficult to relax and recharge.
That receiving notifications whilst I was at work or busy with my child- unable to say yes- made me feel unprofessional! I worried that I would receive less work because I missed the notification and had not responded.
Waking up early each day, yet securing work opportunities was challenging, I was left feeling that my income and career choices were beyond my control.
You know, all these things combined left me feeling dissatisfied with being a casual relief teacher on one hand. But on the other hand, I realized I loved the freedom that came with not working full-time, and I was no longer chasing after a permanent position. What I really wanted was that work-life balance! And you know what?
I strongly believe that casual teaching should be promoted as a valid and fulfilling career choice. It's all about finding what works best for us, right?
And casual teaching can offer a unique and flexible path that suits many people's lifestyles. 😊
This revelation was a game-changer for me. Instead of getting stuck in frustration, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I saw a chance to shake up the job hunt experience for educators and schools alike.
With my years of experience and understanding of the traditional system's pain points, I set out on a mission to create something I wanted to use! My goal was to streamline the hiring process, build better connections between schools and teachers, and make relief teaching opportunities fairer and more efficient.
And that's how 'StaffView' was born!
It has an easy-to-use interface purposely designed for the least tech savvy individuals. StaffView brings teachers and schools together, making it a breeze to book relief teaching positions that match skills and experience, allowing teachers to teach what they love.
My passion lies in making a positive impact on the education sector. StaffView is more than just a platform; it shows how perseverance and challenging the status quo can bring about change.
As I keep refining and expanding StaffView, my ultimate goal remains the same - to revolutionise relief teaching and redefine the job hunt experience. I am aware of a platform's impact on teachers’ job fulfilment and with so many teachers leaving the profession I would like StaffView to make a positive and meaningful difference. 😊