SchoolNews October 2026

Research released by the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) reveals nearly one in three Australians (31 percent) say a teacher influenced their current job or profession, showing the impact of teachers can extend well beyond the classroom.

Half of Gen Z (49 percent) say a teacher significantly or somewhat shaped their career, and Millennials (48 percent) count a teacher among the two biggest influences on their career choices. For younger generations, teachers are still proving more influential than media personalities and public figures, with Gen Z more than twice as likely to name a teacher (18 percent) as their biggest career influence versus a celebrity or influencer (7 percent).

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