This article considers long-standing grievances in teachers’ labour markets regarding chronic shortages of qualified mathematics and science teachers and the loss of the best youth instructors from the teaching service. We first look at evidence for the existence of chronic shortages of certain types of teachers, secondly, the major relevant factors creating this situation and, finally, what reasonably can be done to address these situations. Cross-sectional Australian data are used for evidence and these are supplemented, where appropriate, with pertinent overseas findings.