A civil engineer, pharmacy assistant and career musician will take up teaching roles in regional and remote South Australia under a pilot program that recruits and trains subject specialists to teach in country schools.

The Department for Education has partnered with Teach for Australia (TFA) to deliver a pilot of the TFA Leadership Development Program, which recruits talented graduates, young professionals and career changers with the goal of developing them into highly effective teachers and leaders.

The first three associates to take part in the inaugural pilot all have Bachelor degrees in hard-to-fill subject areas and will commence employment in a regional or remote school while undertaking their Masters in Teaching (Secondary), receiving formal mentorship over two years.

The trio has already completed the initial component of the Masters in Teaching in preparation for the classroom and will start in term 1 this year.

Roxby Downs Area School will get two STEM teachers in Rebecca Magee and Joshua Biermann. Rebecca has a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, is a tutor, and worked previously as a pharmacy assistant. Joshua has a Bachelor of Engineering and worked as a civil engineer.

David Drummond, who is a career musician and music teacher with a Bachelor of Music, will teach music subjects at Stuart High School in Whyalla.

A second cohort of associates will be recruited and commence work in 2022 as part of the pilot program.