About TAFE Queensland
TAFE Queensland is proud to be the largest and most experienced Vocational Education and Training (VET) provider in the State. For more than 140 years, TAFE Queensland has delivered practical and industry-relevant training to provide students with the skills and experience they need to build lifelong careers. Our award-winning training is delivered on campus, online, and in the workplace to give people the skills they need to enrich their communities, support their industries, and strengthen their local economies.
By working at TAFE Queensland, you can be part of a highly experienced workforce that is closely connected with their industries and dedicated to delivering best practices and innovative training.
Your Opportunity
This role offers experienced seafarers the chance to embed the fundamentals of good seamanship into the mariners of tomorrow. As a Maritime Teacher specialising in Seamanship, you'll shape how future deck officers and crew think, act, and perform on watch, on deck, and in small craft where good judgement, teamwork, and competence matter most.
Your primary focus will be delivering basic and advanced seamanship, watchkeeping, and small boat operations, while also drawing on your broader operational experience to teach planned and corrective maintenance, leadership and management, maritime communications, and basic information technology. This is a role where practical skills, professionalism, and real-world experience are front and centre.
Pass on the foundations that matter most
Seamanship underpins everything at sea. You'll teach the skills and attitudes that keep people safe, vessels operational, and operations efficient long after students leave the classroom.
Teach from lived experience
From watchkeeping routines and bridge-to-deck communication to rope work, small boat handling, and maintenance planning, your own sea stories and lessons learned will bring training to life.
Develop future leaders, not just competent crew
This role goes beyond technical skills. You'll help students build confidence, discipline, teamwork, and leadership traits that define strong mariners and future officers.
A meaningful career transition ashore
Teaching offers stability, professional respect, and the opportunity to remain actively connected to maritime operations without extended time away from home.
If you believe good seamanship is learnt through experience, mentoring, and high standards and you want to see those values carried forward this role offers the chance to make a lasting impact.
It's your opportunity to turn years on deck into knowledge, confidence, and capability for the next generation of mariners.
This position reports to the Business Manager
This is a Permanent, Part-time opportunity
The position will be based primarily at Cairns campus and Great Barrier Reef International Marine College however you may be required to perform work at other TAFE Queensland campuses.
Key Responsibilities
Display teaching competence and a commitment to a student-centred approach.
Lead and manage effective teaching and learning within classroom, workplace, simulated and online learning environments with a focus on student engagement, progression and success.
Utilise flexible, blended and inclusive learning techniques, options and products which are responsive to various student cohorts, including commencing students and those with priority needs.
Design, develop and implement assessment tools and processes that meet industry skills standards (i.e. endorsed components from National Training Packages).
Participate in continuous improvement activities to enhance the quality of training and assessment provided to students.
Develop effective working relationships with students, client groups and staff by participating in team meetings, industry reference groups, student events and forums, inviting feedback and engaging in reflection.
Ensure that students adopt and practise accepted safety procedures and sustainability in the learning and assessment environment.
Contribute to planning, design, development, implementation and review of educational programs.
Participate in relevant professional learning activities to develop and maintain currency of personal and professional skills, knowledge and attitudes for both industry and learning, teaching and assessment.
Undertake general administration duties including monitoring of student attendance and progression, facilitating access to educational support and providing effective feedback and advice.
Contribute to the success of transformation and cultural change through promoting and modelling the values of Safety First, Working Together, Focusing on our Customer, Taking Responsibility and Showing Initiative.
Contribute to the Faculty success through acknowledgement and daily implementation of TQN agreed behaviours: We take ownership, invest in each other, seek to understand, celebrate success and are brave enough to contribute.
How you will be assessed
The ideal applicant will be someone who has the following key capabilities:
Possess skills and knowledge of national training packages and accredited courses to support competency development and the ability to respond positively to industry and individual needs.
Demonstrate capacity for best practice in the management of teaching and learning activities including the development of industry relevant, flexible, innovative, technology enhanced learning options, training products and solutions.
Demonstrate capacity for initiative, self-management, teamwork and sustainable practice, with the ability to accept, promote and manage change through the use of well-developed interpersonal and communication skills.
Demonstrate commitment to self-development with the focus on maintaining skills contemporary industry and teaching practices and the use of educational technologies and Learning Management Systems to support learning.
Possess sound knowledge of safe, equitable and anti-discriminatory work practices and demonstrate ability to be flexible, inclusive, responsive and deliver quality student experience.
Mandatory Qualifications/Requirements
a. Vocational competencies at least to the level being delivered and assessed;
MAR40324 Certificate IV in Maritime Operations (Master up to 45 metres Near Coastal) or equivalent or higher qualification (RAN/International/Domestic): and
b. Possession of one of the following training and assessment credentials:
TAE40122 - Certificate IV in Training and Assessment; or
TAE40116 - Certificate IV in Training and Assessment; or
TAE40110 - Certificate IV in Training and Assessment; or
TAE50122 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training or its successor; or
TAE50111 TAE50116 Diploma of Vocational Education and Training; or
TAE50211 or TAE50216 - Diploma of Training Design and Development; or
A secondary teaching qualification and one of the following credentials:
i. TAESS00024 VET Delivered to School Students Teacher Enhancement Skill Set or its successor; or
ii. TAESS00011 or TAESS00019 Assessor Skills Set or its successor; or
Higher level qualification in adult or vocational education (approved by TAFE Queensland); and
c. Current industry skills directly relevant to the training and assessment being provided;
d. Current knowledge and skills in vocational training and learning that informs the training and assessment provided;
e. Evidence of undertaking professional development in the fields of the knowledge and practice of vocational training, learning and assessment including competency-based training and assessment.
Note: Proof of qualifications and industry currency/experience to be provided at interview.
Highly Desirable Requirements
Previous RAN/RNZN/RN experience in seamanship roles
High level of digital literacy skills across various platforms (online Learning Management Systems)
Current drivers licence
Current First Aid certificate
Current knowledge and skills in vocational training and learning that informs the training and assessment provided.
Evidence of undertaking professional development in the fields of the knowledge and practice of vocational training, learning and assessment including competency-based training and assessment.
How to apply
If you're interested in this role, click the 'Apply' button to submit your application via the TAFE Queensland Recruitment Portal. When submitting your application, please ensure you provide the following:
A detailed resume;
A cover letter that outlines your known skills, abilities, knowledge and experience in response to the 'How you will be assessed' criteria above (maximum of 2 pages in total); and
The contact details for two referees (one of whom is your current supervisor)
Closing date: 24 June 2026
Job Reference Number: TQ2026-355
For further information, please contact:
Gabi Newman, Business Manager - Maritime
[email protected] work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License.
