By Natalie Blewitt
Growth Team coordinator

Membership with the SSTUWA means that you are never on your own. We have our members covered but it is important to know your coverage level.

This will depend on whether you are studying to become a teacher, working in a relief teacher capacity, working part- time or working full-time.

Those of you who are still completing your degree but working in a relief capacity, especially covering for COVID-19 vacancies, can access special membership rates.

If you are studying to become a teacher, membership with the SSTUWA is complimentary. As a student member, you will have access to many benefits, including advice and support from our Member Assist and Growth Teams, exclusive discounts and promotions, a subscription to our Western Teacher magazine and access to the New Educator Network.

Limited places are also available for you to attend training and professional development with our Education and Training Centre.

As you are not teaching in a classroom, this entry level of cover is perfect to meet your needs. This membership subscription also covers you when you are completing your school-based practicums.

However, once you start working in a classroom, your needs and level of coverage changes.

It is important to upgrade your membership from that of a student member to a fully financial level. This will ensure you have the adequate level of cover for your circumstances.

Becoming a fully financial member provides all the above-mentioned benefits and more. It also unlocks additional benefits of union membership.

These include must-haves such as legal advice, industrial support, workers’ compensation advice, free/discounted legal services and journey accident cover.

Options are available as you transition from student membership to fully financial, and these will depend on your circumstances.

For example, if you are completing your degree and working in a relief capacity, you can access our special relief teacher subscription rate.

If you are working part-time or even full-time while you are studying, you can access our special untrained teacher membership subscription rate.

Once you have completed your degree, you can transition again to a rate based on your work fraction and salary level, ensuring you have the correct level of cover.

For full membership subscription rate details and information on how to transition from student membership to fully financial, simply get in contact with the SSTUWA’s Membership Team or Growth Team on 9210 6000 or via email: membership@sstuwa.org.au or neweducator@sstuwa.org.au

All our subscription rates are flexible and can be adjusted to suit your changing working needs. It is important that you keep in contact with us, updating your details as your circumstances change.

By emailing updates to the Membership Team, we can ensure the best level of coverage at the correct subscription rate.

If you are a pre-service teacher or early career teacher, you will also have access to the Growth Team. This team has all the information and support you need to make it through those difficult early years of your career.

You can get in contact with the team via email: neweducator@sstuwa.org.au or even connect with them via the new educator Facebook group.

Scan the QR code at the bottom of this article and complete some simple questions to join.

The members at New Educator Network – WA are ready to network and help you out with advice and support. All our updates and events appear here first, so don’t miss out.

Not a member yet? What are you waiting for? Visit sstuwa.org.au to learn more and become a union member.