Career change into teaching
Beyond wishing to make a positive impact, there are so many aspects of teaching that appeal to people looking for a career change. It offers you the opportunity to progress up a career ladder while earning a competitive salary.
Meet some teachers who made the change:
- David Buchanan teaches Maths at Airdrie Academy, and left a career in private banking to become a teacher. Find out why David thinks the benefits of teaching outnumber his previous career.
- Liz Dighton teaches Computing at Boroughmuir High School. Find out why Liz made the switch from IT to the classroom.
- Helen Murray is a Chemistry Teacher at Grange Academy in Kilmarnock. Find out why Helen hung up her lab coat to bring science to life for her pupils.
"I’ve always been interested in teaching even when I was working in my previous job as a Marketing Manager. I was surprised at how many skills were transferable, for example being able to present to big groups of people is the same regardless of the audience."Barry Wright – Principal Teacher of English at Vale of Leven Academy
Make the move – and never look back
By changing career and making the move into teaching, you can put your life and work experience to good use. Your life skills, coupled with your knowledge of your subject, is a fantastic combination. And it won’t just be your pupils who will benefit from your change of career.
Being responsible for helping children and young people get a quality education, and giving them the know-how they need to succeed is rewarding. And you’ll find there’s lots of support available – including financial help – to help you make a smooth transition to your new career.
If you want to apply, but you’re not sure how to go about it, take a look at the how to apply information on our website.
The Teaching Bursary in Scotland is a financial incentive to help ease the financial transition for career changers wishing to undertake a one-year PGDE in Scotland’s hardest-to-fill teaching subjects, you will find more information about it on our Funding and Fees page .
"Prior to changing my career, I had given it a lot of thought and spent time speaking to current teachers, so I was confident that teaching would be a career suited to my character and personality. I felt that coming from industry gave me a certain advantage.I already had experience of a work environment and, although I’m now working with young people, a lot of the skills I had developed previously were transferrable. Dealing with pressure situations and thinking on your feet are important in whatever job you are undertaking."David Buchanan – Maths teacher at Airdrie Academy
Your path to success
Switching professions needn’t mean starting all over again in terms of your career progress. Many teachers who started out in business and swapped the corporate world for the classroom have found that even just one year after completing their postgraduate teacher training, they’ve progressed quickly.
It’s not unusual for people who change careers to feel comfortable with responsibility, with the potential for other opportunities to open up as a result, such as becoming heads of their department, followed by other leadership roles.
Best of all, each promotion comes with far more than an increase in salary, there’s the added satisfaction of doing well in a job you love which provides the opportunity to make a difference every single day.