Help needed: considering a career in teaching

[Evei]

I would look very carefully at the competition for PE teaching jobs. It is a saturated market in this part of the UK at the moment and I cannot see that changing in the short term. The post 16 market for this area is also extremely tough. I know someone who has been trying to get a job in post 16 teaching for the last 4 years. They have a masters and have had to get into it via taking mentoring jobs then building up the contracted teaching hours slowly.

 

The number of training places has been cut dramatically over the last few years. I think you may have missed the boat on this career choice. There are some excellent PE teachers but unfortunately no jobs for them!

 

This might give you a feel for how the job opportunities are at the moment:

 

http://community.tes.co.uk/forums/p/486213/6750907.aspx#6750907

 

and here

 

http://newteachers.tes.co.uk/news/closure-cards-hundreds-pgce-courses/46151

[scott94]

Hi Evei,

 

Thanks for your reply and the information, i appreciate it!

Unfortunately i think you are right with regards to missing the boat, also the £9000 tuition fees and limited bursarys are abit of a daunting prospect too! :-/

 

I'm also considering a PGCE in Biology with my undergrad degree. I will certainyl look at the links you sent me, thanks once again.

 

Scott

[Evei]

Hi Evei,

 

Thanks for your reply and the information, i appreciate it!

Unfortunately i think you are right with regards to missing the boat, also the £9000 tuition fees and limited bursarys are abit of a daunting prospect too! :-/

 

I'm also considering a PGCE in Biology with my undergrad degree. I will certainyl look at the links you sent me, thanks once again.

 

Scott

 

If you can face it a much better choice would be Maths, Chemistry or Physics. Biology is also a saturated market, mainly due to sports science graduates taking up Biology when they find out there are no sports jobs!

 

The teaching pay scales will most likely change dramatically over the next 10 years as the academies start to flex muscles, I can easily see that certain subjects will demand higher pay and others pay cuts according to supply and demand.

 

Not trying to put you off but I think it is important that you understand how the teaching profession is most likely to change over the next decade and the challenges you will face.

 

Generally teaching goes in 15-20 year cycles. When I joined I could have 3 interviews in a week as there was such a shortage, now you are lucky to see 3 jobs advertised in the year in the subject and area you want. When the economy picks up, people leave the profession in droves and it starts the downward spiral again. The government then throw money away getting people back into it. Give it 10 years and it will be back to rock bottom again!