Britons group to training in track for new career Education The Observer

Male teachers at Reigate Priory Junior School, Reigate, Surrey. Photograph: Martin Godwin

Thousands of bankers, IT workers, PR management team and reporters are branch to teaching, total show today. The retrogression has done in isolation zone workers think again about their operative lives, with 13,500 "career changers" requesting to sight as teachers in the past year, a 35% rise. In all there was a 117% climb in inquiries from those seeking to shift jobs.

Many cited pursuit security and compensation as the reasons and were astounded that their salaries would not humour as majority as they expected.

Graham Holley, arch comparison manager of the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA), that has expelled the figures, pronounced the liquid of career changers – along with a climb in applications from top-level graduates – had done it increasingly formidable to come in the training profession. "As a outcome it is apropos some-more and some-more competitive. It is no longer usually a protected pursuit that is all right for a fall-back," the group stated. "More of the majority gifted people in this nation are branch to it as their initial choice."

Most inquiries came from people operative in IT, followed by promissory note and financial and afterwards media, information exchnage and entertainment. Among those who have done the switch are Angela Adebayo, 39, from London, who left promissory note to turn a maths teacher, and Roberto Lavorini, 36, from Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester, who proposed in Sep as a first propagandize clergyman after a career as a rapist solicitor.

Simon Moore, 48, from Orpington in Kent, who left a successful career at ITV Sport, says that the skills he schooled in radio will be invaluable.

"Going in to a propagandize full of teenagers was scary, but as you get to know them they are essentially fantastic," pronounced Andy Yule, 40, who left his pursuit as an IT expert to turn a teacher. "My form group, who I looked after from when they proposed to when they finished, feel similar to my own kids."

Yule has no plans to go behind to the City. "One of the most appropriate things about the pursuit is that you"re all the time learning. Here there are loads of areas to develop, take a risk and try something new and learn. I work really tough in tenure time, but the holidays are a big bonus."

The TDA is rising a vital recruitment drive, with 3 Train to Teach events in Manchester, London and Birmingham. Registrations for this weekend"s eventuality in the collateral were up 28%. A debate to enlarge the series of men in first schools has resulted in a 52% climb in applications.

In annoy of this, TDA investigate shows that the open notice of training stays poor. Two-thirds of graduates hold it offers delayed career progression, whilst 80% of final-year students blink the salaries that can be earned. More than a entertain of students thought the starting salary for a clergyman in executive London would be £19,000 or less, nonetheless new teachers can design to begin at £26,000 – some-more than £6,000 on top of the inhabitant normal and improved paid than engineering and architecture.

When people were asked to arrange training in conditions of career progression, it was knocked about usually by broadcasting and human resources.

Holley said: "There is a risk that out-of-date and out-of-date perceptions of training could go on to put off a little candidates. Teaching offers some-more opportunities for career course than any alternative career, and rival salaries, quite for those who swell to comparison leadership.