Changing careers to teaching
Many teachers have worked in other careers before stepping into the classroom and changing roles.
Transferring your current skills to a teaching role can be immensely fulfilling. Your real-world professional and industry experience, combined with essential teaching skills, will make you a sought-after candidate in the education sector.
Previous career experience can be valuable in the classroom
The expertise and experiences gained from prior careers are extremely valuable in the educational environment. Skills such as communication, public speaking, problem-solving, and people management will enable your students to gain more knowledge from you than you may realise.
In your role as a teacher, you can watch pupils progress as they learn, allowing you to make a significant impact starting from your very first lesson.
You may already have experience in the classroom, such as serving as a teaching assistant. This background in working with students could enhance your appeal as a candidate for teacher training and facilitate a seamless transition into the teaching profession.
What you’ll need to become a teacher
You’ll need a degree and Qualified Teacher Status, often referred to as ‘QTS’, to become a teacher.
Teacher training courses charge fees. There are ways to fund your training, for example, through tuition fee and maintenance loans. If you train to teach certain subjects, you may also be eligible for a bursary or scholarship – read more HERE.
Other postgraduate teacher training courses come with a salary, which means you get paid while you train. Some salaried courses may also charge fees. These courses are in high demand and very competitive, so it’s important to apply as soon as you can if you’re eligible.
If you’re eligible for a bursary or scholarship, you could receive more money on a non-salaried course than on a salaried one.
Mentoring and Support
As an Associate Teacher, you’ll receive continuous support during your training year. Your teaching progress will be observed, and you’ll receive guidance from your KMT Mentors, Professional Tutors and your KMT hub team.
Throughout your training, you’ll be supported and assessed as you progress towards QTS.
Register your interest to train to teach
If you’re ready to change to a rewarding career in teaching, you can register your interest HERE, and one of our team will get in touch.
Further reading
More from the KMT Journal…
