At present, the education sector is increasingly focused on identifying strong, influential and knowledgeable teachers to shape the lives of today’s generation. Teachers are currently in high demand and the search to find teachers with the ability to meet the important needs of schools has never been more apparent. As we have become more aware of the shortage of teachers within the education industry we have put together some key points, highlighting a few rewards that a career in teaching can offer to you. So, if you thrive to inspire the next generation, enjoy a fast-paced, ever-changing atmosphere and relish that great sense of achievement when you accomplish something positive, consider a career in teaching. We hope the following may make your decision that little bit easier.
Career Progression
There are several options for progression within teaching, whether you’re interested in taking on additional teaching and learning responsibility or a leadership role, teaching doesn’t have to be solely about delivering lessons in a classroom. You could be the head of a department or a head teacher of an entire school. The path of progression within teaching is clear and achievable, giving teachers the ability to strive for a goal as they work their way up through the many positions and levels. Furthermore, along with progression in your career in teaching comes a competitive and rewarding salary.
Show Me the Money!
The satisfaction of knowing that you’re making a difference is greeted with a competitive salary. Newly Qualified Teachers can expect to earn a minimum of £21,804 (£27,270 for inner London) and once qualified you can earn up to £37,124 (£45,450 for inner London); that’s not forgetting to mention head teachers can be expected to reach a salary between £42,803 and £113,303. So not only is teaching an extremely rewarding career path to choose, the salary can be pretty desirable too!*
Special & Additional Needs
Teaching also offers the opportunity to work with those who have Special Educational Needs (SEN). A SEN teacher may work with those who have a mental disability, are physically disabled, have speech and language difficulties or those who have emotional vulnerabilities. Two main responsibilities for anyone working within SEN is to recognise the individual’s needs and create a safe environment tailored to them so they are able to learn effectively.
We’re all going on a summer holiday!
On average teachers are allocated 13 weeks holiday in a school year, a lot more than other professions. Due to the nature of these teaching jobs, you will also need to prepare work during the holidays, but at least you’ve got plenty of time to do so.
Bring your personality to the floor
It is vital you bring your personality and charisma with you. Some desk jobs will box you in a cubicle and curb your personality, but not teaching. You’re free to make the choices you need to make in order to inspire and motivate your pupils and it will also make your job more exciting and a lot less stressful. So, take the floor and own it!
Making a Difference
The above rewards are all appealing, but many enter the teaching profession because they feel they have a sense of duty, to make a difference in others’ lives. Teachers are responsible for passing on subject knowledge, but they also have an impact on the way a student views the world. They are there to encourage creativity, develop character and inspire pupils to reach their potential not just at school, but for their future.
Remember, there are many different ways of getting into teaching and an array of interesting and exciting paths that the education industry can offer to you. If the rewards of being a teacher is something that interests you and you have a degree, teaching qualification or even experience within schools and wish to learn more about furthering your career in this dynamic and rewarding sector, then please feel free to contact Athona Recruitment’s education team on 01277 245840, or drop us an e-mail to education@athona.com and we will be more than happy to help!
* Salaries as of May 2014