After teaching: what are the options?

Seanchai

This is definitely the sort of topic which will become more important as conditions decline for teachers in Ireland. The current state-created situation depends upon a large number of teachers leaving.


I'm blessed in that I have a 22-hour contract for the forthcoming year. But I'm really uncomfortable about the way the teaching profession is going nowhere but down in its status as a profession - part-time contracts as the norm, no state will to control numbers on PDE courses, admiration for the British model, etc. Personally, I don't have too much trouble with the cuts for the past couple of years. However, if the state carries through with its intention to attack allowances next, well I might as well just have a pass degree because the tens of thousands I spent with this state's education institutions getting my annual Academic Qualifications allowance up to €7,376 was a waste. This should be payback after years of slogging.

**Possibly controversial section on way**

I may be alone in this but every time I hear of newly-qualified Irish teachers going to Britain and willing to teach for peanuts under comparatively exploitative conditions, the future isn't looking too rosy for teaching as a profession in Ireland. Undoubtedly there are Department of Education people watching this and thinking of a lower-cost teaching salary future.

Because there are now so many unemployed/underemployed qualified teachers thanks in part to the state's encouragement of university PDE courses and encouragement of part-time contracts, there are far more people who have fewer financial commitments who are willing to teach for British-style conditions now. In short, the way the education system is going in Ireland is not Finland's way but the way of Yellow Pack teaching, weak teaching unions and the pointless appearance-driven bureaucracy (and class division?) of the British education system.

**end possibly controversial section**

The bottom line is that I'm looking at the future and thinking of financial pressures that will come on me when I marry and have kids and wondering what options (besides politics) are there for teachers after teaching. Thanks.

drvantramp

my advice either move up the foodchain, aim for third level and/or research or community type bodies

if you think teaching is bad, wait until you see some industry jobs ( have the t-shirts etc!)

go with your gut instinct, if you like stay, if not try something else.
but don't put off your life - kids etc..

marilynhappy

I agree wholeheartedly with Seanchai's sentiments and have to add my own experience. It's so difficult to know what our future is, as teachers. I feel similarly worried about the future when I consider the very temporary nature of secondary school teaching positions becoming available. Many of my friends are primary teachers, I definitely appreciate their struggle to get jobs. However, primary teachers appear to have panel rights much faster (as opposed to having to wait 4 years in one school like secondary school teachers do.) I have talented friends who have become primary teachers and who deserve the permanent jobs they have. Some were lucky enough to walk straight into permanent jobs following their qualification, while most others became permanent after 2 years. On the other hand, I feel my prospects of becoming permanent, or even gaining a CID contract in the next few years are slim. I studied for 5 years to become a secondary school teacher (4year bachelor, one year hdip) and still I feel that I need the X Factor, or luck to ever get the job security I need.
This is my second year post Hdip, so I know I probably sound impatient. I was lucky enough to get a part time temporary contract last year, which I loved but which won't be renewed, so I'm going through the interview mill.
Like many other people in their mid 20s, I dream of settling down someday, paying back personal debts and, yes, raising a family. However, I'm wondering if I'm in the wrong sector to achieve this dream.

There is a massive gulf between people who entered the system around 15 years ago and my contemporaries, who do everything in their power to get jobs that simply aren't available.

Lord TSC

Echoing sentiments, but here goes....

I'm now entering my third year post-Dip. I was lucky enough to get four months resource teaching there last term, but all signs seem to be that I'm not getting asked back there due to cuts. I'm hopeful that the experience might add to my CV but realistically, my lone subject of English probably makes me the least attractable of an oversaturated market of unemployed people.

I've come to accept now that I won't be getting much next year. I'm off to America for two weeks next weeks, and once I get back, the truth is I think I'm going to start looking elsewhere for employment. Not sure where though. Again, it's not like there's a huge amount of jobs out there for English graduates (outside the obvious low pay ones, I mean).

Heydeldel

Would anyone consider moving abroad?

Lots jobs (permanent of you want it) in the UK and I know some teachers moving to the UEA.

My subject is English alone also ( with SPHE and CSPE - as if that helps!) and just finished the Dip this year. I get very depressed reading boards but trying to keep up hope. We'll be a more resourceful and adaptable generation of teachers.

Hard to know whether to apply for non- teaching jobs at the mo in case I don't get any teaching job in the coming months. I've applied for a non teaching job just to keep my options open. Arrrggggg, hard to know what to do!

Millem

drvantramp wrote: »

my advice either move up the foodchain, aim for third level and/or research or community type bodies

if you think teaching is bad, wait until you see some industry jobs ( have the t-shirts etc!)

go with your gut instinct, if you like stay, if not try something else.
but don't put off your life - kids etc..

I know a lot of my friends who only get paid for the school year (167 days) would love a job in the private sector that paid for the full year!

drvantramp

Well then they should apply for those paid jobs and stop whining.
I know a lot of people who would like ANY job, both public/private!!
These are VERY difficult times all round, for everyone.

My point above is far away hills are not always green and you cannot put life completely on hold for the "what if stuff". Do what you love, if you can travel to do that go for it, if not change/adapt.

seanachai may get that nice private sector job with pay (forget pension) and quickly lose it/downsized etc. he/she may also hate it

Lord TSC

Heydeldel wrote: »

Hard to know whether to apply for non- teaching jobs at the mo in case I don't get any teaching job in the coming months. I've applied for a non teaching job just to keep my options open. Arrrggggg, hard to know what to do!

The problem with getting a non-teaching job (/internship, etc) is it makes you unavailable for sub work, which is the only real way to break into a school now. In other words, if you take a non-teaching job, you are affectivly ending your teaching career....

Heydeldel

I know Teamshadowclan,


Guess I'll have to slog it out on the sub route for a while. Precarious finances for the foreseeable future then.

What about working at third level? Would that improve chances of work?