Professional placements are an important component of many tertiary degree courses yet require significant collaboration between Universities and employers to assure relevant, quality experiences. This paper describes how the Faculty of Education at the University of Tasmania (UTas) is strengthening its relationships with the schooling sectors in Tasmania through the Partners in Professional Experience initiative, with the central purpose of providing cutting edge professional experiences for pre-service teachers. The initiative recognises that preparation of teachers for the 21st century requires a significant re-think of how the theory and practice of teaching can be integrated in innovative ways.

Keywords: Professional Experience, Partnerships, Teacher Education