Team Name:
ConnectEd
Team Members:
ConnectEd
Australia faces two connected challenges: teacher shortages in schools and declining civic participation among new Australians. The Educator’s Compass is a one-stop digital platform that uses government data to bridge these gaps by guiding teachers, aspiring educators, and new Australians into meaningful career, volunteering, and community pathways.
Bridging Education Gaps in Schools: The platform highlights workforce shortages using data from ABS, ACARA, DEWR, and ATWD, helping to connect schools in need with teachers, aides, and volunteers.
Upskilling & Career Pathways: It supports aspiring teachers and new Australians by mapping clear, data-driven career pathways, offering upskilling opportunities, and recognising where new talent can fill shortages.
Civic Participation & Belonging: Beyond careers, the app connects new Australians to volunteering and civic programs in schools and communities, strengthening belonging, civic knowledge, and participation in democratic systems.
One-Stop Data Portal: By integrating datasets across education workforce, schools, civic engagement, and social cohesion, the app removes fragmentation and provides a clear, non-biased portal where users can find answers in one place.
Digital Safety & Trust: Information is displayed clearly and transparently to protect vulnerable populations and ensure secure, meaningful engagement with digital platforms. By surfacing government data in an accessible way, the tool helps communities, governments, and organisations build confidence in online participation.
The Educator’s Compass creates dual benefits: addressing workforce shortages in education while also empowering new Australians to connect, belong, and contribute. By making government data transparent and practical, it strengthens trust in democratic systems and provides a pathway for vulnerable groups to safely and confidently engage with digital services and community life.
We brought together a wide variety of government datasets to uncover the full picture:
When these datasets are combined, a clear picture emerges:
We don’t have enough teachers, especially in high-need and regional areas.
New Australians are underrepresented in teaching pathways and volunteering opportunities, even though schools are often the first place of connection in new communities.
Civic engagement is declining, leaving people disconnected from democratic systems and each other.
Data is fragmented, meaning policymakers, schools, and individuals can’t easily answer critical questions in one place.
The Educator’s Compass acts as a one-stop portal that brings this data together and makes it simple, clear, and accessible:
Teachers and aspiring educators can see where demand is highest and find upskilling options.
New Australians can explore career pathways in education, volunteering opportunities in schools, and civic resources that strengthen belonging.
Communities and governments can view transparent dashboards that highlight shortages, social cohesion, and engagement gaps in a non-biased, trustworthy format.
This data-driven story highlights how education and civic participation are connected. By helping new Australians join the education workforce and participate in schools and communities, we:
Bridge staffing gaps in schools.
Strengthen belonging for new Australians.
Build civic knowledge and democratic participation.
Rebuild trust in digital platforms through transparent, secure use of government data.
✨ The story is simple: Government data shows the challenges. The Educator’s Compass brings it all into one place, turning insights into actionable pathways for careers, community, and democracy.
Description of Use Show how teachers move through their careers — from entry-level to experienced and leadership positions. Feature: Visual “Career Roadmap” informed by national workforce trends (e.g. average years in each role, common career shifts, proportion moving into leadership). Benefit: Helps aspiring teachers and new Australians understand realistic pathways and progression opportunities.
Description of Use Used to design user pathways for new Australians from volunteering through to leadership.
Description of Use Used as a benchmark to evaluate the broader social impact of the platform.
Description of Use Used to track opportunities for new Australians to contribute skills in schools and communities.
Description of Use Used to measure how the app strengthens inclusion and social cohesion.
Description of Use Used to visualise the decline in engagement and highlight the need for stronger community connections.
Description of Use Used to ensure civics education content is embedded in the app’s resources for schools and volunteers.
Description of Use Used to connect users with interactive opportunities for civic participation and belonging.
Description of Use Used in the Resources page to strengthen teachers’ and community mentors’ civic knowledge.
Description of Use Used to identify where specialist teachers and community support (e.g., literacy mentoring) are most needed.
Description of Use Used to help teachers and new Australians explore school contexts before applying or volunteering.
Description of Use Used in the Schools Near You feature to identify high-need communities and map opportunities.
Description of Use Used to show gaps between student numbers and teacher supply, highlighting regions at risk of shortages.
Description of Use Inform teachers of curriculum demand areas (e.g. growing VET programs might increase demand for teachers with vocational backgrounds).
Description of Use Show educators the achievement context of schools or regions. Could be tied to teacher professional development pathways (e.g. schools with persistent literacy gaps might require more literacy specialists).
Description of Use Identify growth areas (e.g. early childhood or senior secondary). Help project future demand for teachers in different stages of schooling.
Description of Use Integrate into a map feature showing teacher demand and school contexts. Teachers could search by region or community type to find where opportunities exist.
Description of Use Show teachers the demographic and socio-educational context of schools. Identify schools with higher levels of need (e.g. remote, low-ICSEA) to highlight areas where teachers are in shortage or extra support is needed.
Description of Use Helps demonstrate where education jobs are emerging or in demand relative to others, allowing educators to assess career prospects and growth opportunities.
Description of Use Displays future teacher supply, highlighting whether fewer new graduates are entering teaching and prompting initiatives for recruitment or support.
Description of Use Helps users visualise teacher workforce load, highlight regions or school types under strain, and gauge how many new teachers might be needed.
#Democracy-in-practice
Eligibility: Open to all. Submissions should use at least one government data source.
Go to Challenge | 9 teams have entered this challenge.
Eligibility: Open to contestants from any State. At least one dataset from the ABS must be used.
Go to Challenge | 13 teams have entered this challenge.
#Navigating-the-digital-seas
Eligibility: Open to all. Your solution will be measured against its relevance to the theme, practicality and scalability, whether it follows ethical and inclusive design, and its innovation. You must use at least one Government dataset.
Go to Challenge | 15 teams have entered this challenge.
