Case study: The right CRT in the classroom within a week
Northern Victoria TAFE heard back from Expect a Star within two hours of its first enquiry and had the right CRT teaching its VPC students three days later. Two placements on, there's been no absenteeism, no turnover and far less of the TAFE team's time spent on recruitment.
Problem
Northern Victoria TAFE relies on CRTs to keep its Victorian Pathway Certificate (VPC) classes running when permanent staff are away. VPC students often need extra support to stay engaged, so a steady, capable teacher in the room makes a big difference to how they progress.
The TAFE’s previous agency wasn't keeping up. Enquiries went unanswered, the educators put forward weren't the quality the team needed and those who did make it to interview often turned up poorly prepared. Each slow response left the team chasing candidates themselves, with less certainty that classes would be covered and more pressure on the staff already stretched to fill the gaps.
"We were looking for reliability, a partner open to getting to know our needs, fast turnaround, great communication and adaptability. Expect a Star’s initial response times to enquiries were a big part of that,” said Sarah, Education Manager, Northern Victoria TAFE.
Solution
After finding Expect a Star on SEEK, the TAFE reached out and heard back within two hours. From there, the team sat down with Julienne and Tharushi for a job brief and interview and we used that time to ask the questions that would show us what a great fit looked like for their students.
That mattered, because the Seymour role called for someone specific - a VPC teacher experienced in supporting young people facing challenges, who could bring a secondary teaching approach into a tertiary setting.
"The experience was fantastic from the first contact that was made. What stood out most was the questions that were asked to understand what we were looking for,” said Sarah.
As the CRT process was new territory for the TAFE, we guided the team through every step. We got to know what they wanted in their next educator and what our candidate wanted in their next role, so the match worked for both sides. We walked the TAFE through how Expect a Star works, what onboarding looked like for them and for the educator, a rough timeline and what each party could expect along the way. We kept in touch at every stage, so the team always knew exactly where things were up to.
Our educators get the same guidance, which means they arrive prepared, confident and clear on what's expected of them.
"Expect a Star had fantastic personal communication and great knowledge to help us navigate the CRT process and the sector. There's great support for their own CRT staff and a willingness to be open to our needs on a short turnaround,” said Sarah.
Outcome
Eight days after first getting in touch, Northern Victoria TAFE had its CRT in the classroom at Seymour. A second VPC teacher has since started at the Shepparton campus.
Both placements have been reliable with no absenteeism and no turnover. That reflects what we see across our schools placements more broadly, where our CRTs hold a 99% attendance rate.
For the TAFE team, the biggest change has been time. With candidates sourced faster than they could manage internally, and all required documentation arriving ready to go, positions are filled sooner and staff can stay focused on teaching.
"Expect a Star has the ability to recruit faster than we can internally, which means positions are filled much faster. All the required documentation is sent through in such a timely manner. It definitely helps with the time spent on recruitment,” said Sarah.
For students, filled roles mean fewer disruptions and a steady presence in the classroom. For the team, it means peace of mind.
"We've seen more consistency for our students, and great exposure to other teachers and teaching methods. There's also the assurance of knowing we have additional support with staff and staffing shortages,” said Sarah.
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