Thinking about a change of career – what about teaching?
Are you an expert in your industry? Maybe you work in construction or as an electrician but you’re now looking for a change and a new challenge – why not consider teaching students in your profession? According to research from the Department for Education, 45% of people interested in teacher training are ‘career changers’; people who have been working in a different industry but want to switch to teaching.
Teaching is an incredibly rewarding path, where you can use your industry experience to inspire the next generation. Now, you may be thinking your lack of experience in the field of teaching is going to be a problem; however, there are ways you can work around this issue and still secure a teaching job; with minimal or no prior experience. Here’s some more information which could help you make that final decision to move into teaching:
You have “real world” experience
If you’re considering teaching as a mid-career change, then you’re unlikely to have a lot of experience in the field of education; but you’re bound to have experience in a different field. Your practical, “real world” experience in your current field can certainly make you a suitable educator for that subject. For example, if you’ve been a quantity surveyor in construction for several years, you may be able to teach the students a number of useful things about construction; and bring transferable skills such as organisation and communication. However, you also need to remember that things will be different – just because you’ve worked in the field does not mean you know it all. Make sure you show you are open to learning and developing your skill set to fully fit in to this new setting.
How do I become a teacher?
If you’re a master of your vocation, be that anything from accountancy to carpentry, Further Education offers a great route into education. Depending on your industry experience, you may be able to go straight into a teaching role; if you meet the college’s requirements. However, the easiest way to get into teaching is to complete a Level 3 Award and Training qualification. These courses are available at training providers across the UK and can take as little as a few weeks to complete.
Key skills needed for a teaching role
Every teacher is unique in their teaching style and methods. However, to be an effective teacher, you will be required to demonstrate a varied set of skills. These include:
· Good communication skills
· Patience
· The ability to inspire a class
· The ability to be relatable at times
· In-depth subject knowledge
These skills can be learnt and finessed over time, and with the variation of a teaching role, you will gain plenty of transferrable skills in return.
Teacher benefits
Of course, the main reason that most people move into teaching is because they want to work with the next generation of students in their profession. It’s particularly rewarding to teach within further education as your students have elected to be there and may be trying to pursue a career in your subject area. But there are many other benefits to teaching in further education:
You can move into it gradually. By taking a part time contract, you can continue your day job whilst you begin your teaching career.
There are lots of options to progress your career. If you join education full time, you can progress your career by working your way up the established hierarchy of education management.
FE teachers are in demand. The FE sector is growing and is constantly looking for skilled professionals to teach the next generation in their profession. As a result, the salary offering can be quite competitive.
Healthy holiday entitlement. Typically speaking, full time FE teachers enjoy around 37 days holiday plus bank holidays.
Development support. If the college you work for requires you to do further qualifications, they will often support you financially.
So, if you’re looking for job security, a competitive salary and most importantly job satisfaction, moving from industry to teaching may be the career move for you.
Get in touch with our team today to discuss your options and our current opportunities. Call us on 0203 011 0044, or visit our website: https://www.omniapeople.com/looking-for-educational-jobs