Teaching and training can be an extremely rewarding career for graduates who really want to make a difference and work outside of an office-based environment. The Government is investing in attracting more people to the profession, and there are many ways to train and career paths to pursue.

If you are a good listener and a creative, effective communicator, with solid organisational skills and the ability to handle challenging behaviour while keeping on top of the paperwork, then the teaching profession needs you.

Whether you choose mainstream teaching, lecturing in higher or further education, teaching English as a foreign language, or working with people with special educational needs, you’ll need all of these skills to make your mark. If you’d prefer to work as a training officer or training manager, the same skills will get you there too.

Graduate-job descriptions

• English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher
• Further / higher education lecturer
• Primary school teacher
• Secondary school teacher
• Special educational needs (SEN) teacher
• Training officer / manager

Where do teachers work?

You can work in different settings: state or private schools, universities, educational organisations abroad or in the business and commercial sector.

You could be working with young people and children, adult learners or foreign students. The work could be very broad in scope or quite specific; the opportunities for career progression include managing a whole school as headteacher, or taking responsibility for a specific subject or area, such as literacy.

Skills required for teaching

Whatever kind of teaching or training you choose, enthusiasm, good organisation, knowledge of your subject and a strong interest in people is vital.

You’ll need to be able to establish a rapport with both groups and individuals and have good classroom-management skills.

You must be able to plan effectively and work closely with colleagues. Above all, you’ll need commitment, determination and stamina.

Training to become a teacher

You can study full or part time, and there are work-based options on offer. A common route to Qualified Teacher Status (required for work in state schools) is the Postgraduate Certificate in Education. Trainees in England receive a £6,000 tax-free training bursary (£9,000 for some subjects) and a ’golden hello’ of £2,500 to £5,000, depending on the subject.

The Teach First programme places high-flying graduates in challenging secondary schools in London, the North West and the Midlands for two years; they can then choose to remain in teaching or move into the business world.

The employment-based Graduate Teacher Programme is another option. Check out the Training and Development Agency for Schools for routes into the career and the General Teaching Councils for an insight into the role.

However you choose to train, you’re guaranteed a challenging career. The rewards are enormous. Whether it’s getting someone through GCSE maths or watching an adult write a sentence unaided for the first time, it’s satisfying to know that you helped them there.