After years of low numbers, teaching is finally making a comeback – and universities across New Zealand are buzzing with new enrolments! 🙌

Hundreds of students have signed up to study teaching this year – including a noticeable rise in international students. And with the Ministry of Education warning about looming teacher shortages (especially in secondary schools), this surge couldn’t have come at a better time.

👩‍🏫 At Victoria University alone, enrolments in secondary teaching have doubled – now sitting at 210 full-time students. Why the sudden interest?

For some, teaching runs in the family.
“I come from a big family of generational teachers,” said one student.
Another shared, “My uncle just left teaching after burnout during Covid, but he still talks about it with love.”

💬 Others are simply passionate about working with young people.
“We love the job – the students, the energy, helping shape future members of society. It’s incredibly rewarding,” one student shared.

✨ Some have taken bold steps to chase their dream – even leaving government jobs behind. One person said they were tired of a toxic work environment and ready to do something meaningful (even if it meant working twice as hard for less pay).

And let’s be real – the tough job market has nudged some people toward the classroom.
“All the policy and economics jobs dried up when I graduated,” one student admitted. “Plus, my economics teacher wasn’t great. I want to be better than that – make sure no student feels the way I did.”

📈 So why now?
Victoria University’s Professor Sue Cherrington explained that tough economies usually boost interest in teaching. “People see it as a stable, reliable job. You rarely hear of teachers being made redundant.”

There’s also been a boost from overseas.
Canterbury University’s Joce Nuttall said many international students have jumped into teacher training – especially after immigration changes made it easier to gain residency. “We’ve seen students coming from China, India, and Canada, enrolling in everything from early childhood to secondary teaching.”

But there’s still a challenge – finding schools to host student teachers for placements.

💭 A nationwide report on teaching enrolments is due next month – but one thing is already clear: teaching is getting its spark back.

And if this is just the beginning, the future of our classrooms looks bright. ✨