Where are the hidden pathways out of teaching?

?At Career Voyage I help midlife professionals navigate a sustainable career and live and work happily ever after. This might mean a career change but often it means a mindset shift, more flex or a plan of some sort for the future.

Recently, I have been working with several teachers from Senior Leadership Teams who are looking at what their future sustainable work and life might look like because of potential burnout and a desire for more flexibility.

Career priorities shift with age, life stage and BIG events, so I know many individuals who have had corporate careers and then careered into teaching. But what about the other way around? As children have left home, you might not want to holiday in the school holidays or you are at that 20 year stage where the challenge isn't such a challenge anymore and that's what attracted you to the role in the first place.

Great Head or Deputy Head Teachers are absolute game changers in our schools and for future talent, but is their role becoming untenable? I know teachers who have worked on a part-time basis, but once they have added in parents evenings, SLT extraneous meetings, after school clubs and parent liaison, they end up working almost full-time for a part-time salary, so many switch back to full-time. And full-time teachers are dealing with pupil curve balls, providing pastoral care, navigating parents, running careers programmes (over and above their usual role) and dealing with ever-changing admin and curriculum. One teacher I know has been informed of a curriculum change in all her lessons and she needs to sort this before terms starts, so that’s unpaid work right there. ?

Being a teacher in the UK offers numerous advantages, including the opportunity to make a significant impact on pupils' lives, leading to high job satisfaction and personal fulfilment. Teachers benefit from a supportive and collaborative environment, continuous professional development, and clear career progression opportunities. The profession also provides a competitive salary, generous holiday allowance, job security, and a robust pension scheme, contributing to a good work-life balance. Additionally, teachers can specialise in various subjects, innovate in their teaching methods, and work with diverse student populations, enriching their professional experience. Access to advanced educational resources and technology further enhances teaching effectiveness. The UK's diverse cultural environment and recognition of its teaching qualifications globally also provide teachers with a broad perspective and international opportunities.

Of course, there are disadvantages too and being a teacher in the UK comes with many challenges that can impact job satisfaction and overall well-being. Teachers often face a high workload and long hours, including extensive lesson planning, marking, and administrative tasks, which can lead to a poor work-life balance. There is significant pressure to meet academic performance targets set by the government and Ofsted, which can create a stressful environment and limit teachers' autonomy in delivering creative lessons. Many schools suffer from underfunding and a lack of resources, making it difficult to provide high-quality education, while large class sizes and behavioural challenges further strain teachers' ability to manage their classrooms effectively. Additionally, pay levels are often considered low relative to the workload and responsibilities, contributing to stress and burnout. The profession also suffers from limited career progression opportunities and a significant administrative burden, which detracts from time spent teaching. Frequent policy changes and the pressure of Ofsted inspections add further uncertainty and stress.

So teaching can be a rewarding career with ample benefits for both personal and professional growth but frequent policy changes and the pressure of Ofsted inspections add to uncertainty and stress.

As a career changer, it is easy to get into teaching, the pathways are understood and well communicated, think Teach Now or Now Teach, and think of the teachers you know who are teaching as a second, third or fourth career.

But think about teachers who want to career change into different careers, I am doing some research at the moment, and the transferable (power) skills that teachers bring with them are phenomenal and the more I work with teachers, the more I want them in my team. Their capacity for work is extraordinary and the things they get done and the speed with which they do it is incredible.

Teachers possess a wide range of transferable skills that are valuable in numerous professions beyond education. These include strong communication skills such as public speaking, writing, and active listening, which are crucial for roles in sales, learning & development, consulting, and customer service. Their interpersonal skills, including empathy, patience, and conflict resolution, are essential in fields like healthcare, social work, and human resources. Teachers also excel in organisational and planning abilities, time management, project execution, and leadership, making them ideal for project management and team collaboration roles. Their adaptability, flexibility, and crisis management skills are beneficial in fast-paced environments such as startups or tech industries. Additionally, teachers bring analytical and problem-solving capabilities, including data analysis and critical thinking, which are valuable in business and research settings. They are proficient in digital literacy and content creation, skills that are useful in tech support, digital marketing, and e-learning. Furthermore, teachers’ research skills and cultural competence are advantageous in market research, community outreach, and international business. Their experience in assessment and evaluation aligns with performance management roles in human resources, making teachers highly adaptable and valuable across various career paths. And teachers in leadership positions can add massive value to business.

I know industries who are desperate for talent and expertise and have many skills gaps (think cyber) but how do teachers source these roles? Headhunters are you actively sourcing from teachers from the Senior Leadership Teams? Many of my clients are earning in the region of ￡60k plus and are not looking for a substantial drop in salary. I come across many teachers who have moved into industry but it is usually through their network or meeting someone as opposed to a structured career change path?

The teachers I am working with are absolutely incredible. They have been the most impressive students on my DIAMOND programme, they complete work before time and have this incredible work ethic and understanding of all things. There’s only thing, they do not understand and that is how brilliant, amazing, resilient, valuable and awesome they are.

The other thing I have noticed is that they will not apply for a role unless the salary is spot on or they have done everything on the job description.

If you can keep a classroom of children or young people engaged, employee engagement will be a walk in the park.

If you an organisation that hires ex-teachers, please let me know your process. You can upskill or reskill a teacher and they come with a huge amount of leadership and power skills. And with the shrinking younger population, teaching professionals may be more available. Perhaps the way to derisk the role in the first place would be doing it as a job share.

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