Teacher backing campaign promoting the profession

Debbie Thompson is taking part in the Get into Teaching campaign to encourage those looking for a new challenge in the New Year to think about teaching.

Evidence shows that January is the peak time for jobseekers looking to change careers.

And, figures from the national Get into Teaching campaign support this trend, showing January was the busiest month in the 2015/16 academic year with just over 900 registrations of interest in teaching from people in the North East, including nearly 600 from people currently working in other fields.

Additionally the Get into Teaching website, where prospective candidates can find out more about teaching, showed a sharp rise in traffic during the New Year period.

Debbie, a teacher of maths and modern foreign languages at Wellfield School, Wingate, said: “I’d always been interested in teaching, but my life took me in a different direction for a while. I looked online at the practicalities of training to be a teacher in North East England and what the job would entail day-to-day, whilst deciding on the best next steps.

“I registered my interest online, and am now a fully qualified teacher.

“I’ve not looked back and I absolutely love being a teacher. The moments I get to be part of – for example when something clicks for a pupil for the first time - are priceless, and often give me goosebumps.

“I’m proud of the job I do each day and of the decision I took to pursue a different career.

“I’d advise other people who are looking for a rewarding career change to consider teaching too, especially if you enjoy working with young people, are interested in a particular subject area or are keen to find a career path with a wide range of opportunities.”

More than 6,200 people aged 30 or over started initial teacher training in 2016/17, this is the highest number of trainees aged 30 or over since 2012/13.

Commenting on the findings, Roger Pope, chairman of the National College for Teaching and Leadership, said: “If people are not feeling fulfilled in their current role, they may wish to shake off the January blues by considering teaching and taking their skills and experience into the classroom. Teaching is a fantastic career.”

To support the latest generation of new year career changers, NCTL is hosting online events this month, specifically designed to show what teaching can offer, the routes into the profession and the financial support packages on offer for those making the change from established careers.

Anyone interested in a career in teaching should visit www.education.gov.uk/getintoteaching.