Education Minister Sarah Mitchell says the new pathways will be available for professionals who have experience in relevant subject areas, or already have teaching experience in the higher education system.

"We have more students enrolled and more teachers employed than ever before. But we need more and we want the best, particularly in certain subjects and parts of the state," she said on Tuesday.

"Right now there are too many barriers to entry," she said in a statement.

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the new approach was in line with recommendations in the NSW Productivity Commission's White Paper, which found that teacher quality can boost productivity.

"When we create opportunities for passionate and talented people to become teachers, we're creating opportunity for our kids," he said.

The overhaul will involve a tiered approach - with new pathways into secondary school teaching depending on a person's knowledge and pre-existing teaching expertise.

Depending on their teaching experience, the aim is for people to be qualified and in front of a class within six months.

The government will negotiate with universities about how an Initial Teacher Education degree can be made more bespoke for each mid-career entrant.

The degree will be "front-ending' the qualification depending on where the candidate's skills are lacking, to get them teaching sooner - with the remainder of the qualification completed while the candidate is employed at a school, Ms Mitchell said.

Australian Associated Press