What is professional experience?

Professional experiences are placements in real classrooms and education settings, designed to help prepare you to become a teacher. These placements are undertaken in blocks of 10 to 25 days at a time; refer to the course pages for more details:

Professional experiences are highly valued by both students and employers. These experiences help you to develop your capabilities as you progress through the course. You can practise your teaching techniques and gain valuable practical experience in a structured and supported environment.

Placement opportunities

Your placement is what you make of it. By engaging in a diverse range of experiences, you will get a better understanding of the breadth and depth of a teacher’s work.

Most students will be allocated a placement within 90 minutes travel from their home address, however alternative arrangements are possible.

Invaluable placement opportunities are also available in rural, regional and remote settings with financial support offered (via an application process) to cover travel and accommodation costs where needed.

Our network

  • State schools
  • Independent schools
  • Catholic schools
  • Kindergartens
  • Early learning centres
  • Rural locations
  • Regional locations
  • Remote locations
  • Interstate
  • Overseas
  • Steiner schools
  • Montessori schools
  • Special education settings

Support

You'll be supported through your professional experience. You’ll be assigned a dedicated contact from QUT for each placement. You’ll also be supported and guided by a supervising teacher onsite. You can get in touch with other personal support services available at QUT if needed.

In each professional experience unit, the classes will focus on preparing you for your placement. After the placement you will have the opportunity to reflect on your achievements and identify any areas for further development.

You are encouraged to explore and apply for financial support where relevant to your placement.

Discover financial support options

Support for teaching success

QUT supports education students to develop inspiring and engaging teaching practices.

With more than 25,000 resources available in the QUT Library's Curriculum Collection to inspire your lesson plans for professional experience placements, your teaching is only limited by your imagination.

Make it real

Education student Ruby talks about how professional experience placements organised by QUT are helping her put theory into practise.

Watch video

Experience teaching in a regional or rural location

QUT education graduate Emily Craven found her dream job as a teacher at Spinifex State College in Queensland’s remote community of Mount Isa. Watch her story.

Emily Craven

Watch video

Placements that prepare

'Professional experience is something that really solidified that teaching was the right career choice for me. It reassured me that I had made the right choice in my career and brought that crucial real world experience to my training the prepare me for when I graduate.'

Toby Winters
Bachelor of Education (Secondary) student

Read more

Real-world placement

'From the first year of my degree, I participated in a professional experience placement organised by QUT. It was a valuable opportunity to create lesson plans, observe, and interact with children. Engaging in placements prepares me for a career in teaching and enhances my skill set.'

Hoi Ki (Rachel) Chui, Hong Kong
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood)

Student experiences

In this professional experience webinar, Bachelor of Education and Master of Teaching students talk in depth about professional experience placements and provide tips for success.

Want to know more?

As a pre-service teacher, you will work under a supervising teacher, other staff at the site, and the site coordinator, ensuring you are fully supported throughout your experience.

Getting prepared

  • Because professional experiences are a full-time commitment, dates are released well in advance so you can plan ahead.
  • Apply for a Blue Card and ensure it is valid and registered with QUT throughout your course.
  • Vaccination may be required for your placement.
  • QUT will find placements for you and you’ll be notified of the location about two weeks before the start date.
  • You will attend placement briefing sessions as part of your professional experience unit.

At your placement

  • Your placement may include observations, planning, teaching, and assessing.
  • You will have regular contact with your QUT partners for support and to answer any questions.
  • You will have the opportunity to apply feedback from supervising teachers.

What's next?

  • You will receive your professional experience report and have an opportunity to reflect upon your goals and learning.
  • You’ll have made valuable connections to add to your professional network.

Want to know more?

As a pre-service teacher, you will work under a supervising teacher, other staff at the site, and the site coordinator, ensuring you are fully supported throughout your experience.

Getting prepared

  • Because professional experiences are a full-time commitment, dates are released early in the year so you can plan ahead.
  • Apply for a Blue Card as soon as you enrol in the course. If you have an existing Blue Card, make sure it is valid and registered with QUT.
  • Vaccination may be required for your placement.
  • QUT will find placements for you and you’ll be notified of the location.
  • You will attend placement briefing sessions as part of your professional experience unit.

At your placement

  • Your placement may include observations, planning, teaching, and assessing.
  • You may have regular contact with QUT staff for support and to answer any questions.
  • You will have the opportunity to apply feedback from supervising teachers.

What's next?

  • You will receive your professional experience report and have an opportunity to reflect upon your goals and learning.
  • You’ll have made valuable connections to add to your professional network.

View participating courses

Professional experience placements are part of the Bachelor of Education and Master of Teaching courses. Choose the right course for you.

This is my first degree

View Bachelor of Education options

I already have a degree

View Master of Teaching options