Jobs market for secondary school teachers?

splinter65

lightspeed wrote: »

Do you or anyone know what his jobs prospects would be abroad?

Ive seen some articles making reference to teachers going abroad as strong demand for teachers elsewhere like Dubai etc. Would this include newly qualified with little to no post qualified experience?

He’s looking into going to the UK but as he is now nearly 2 school years out from his qualification with 0 experience, I don’t know how that will go for him.
He’s been a very sheltered home loving boy.
I feel sorry for him the poor lad.
There seems to have been an expectation in the house that he would just walk into a local job.
Crazy stuff.

poster2525

He should approach a couple of local schools and tells them he's available for subbing ..he would likely get some work in the next few months and could build up a bit of experience, get himself known and be able to get a reference. He could also tell them he'll be available as a reader or scribe for junior and leaving cert students in June if they're trying to source them. He needs to ensure his Garda vetting is up to date. He might even get work at primary level as many are stuck for short term subs.

Mullocker

Thanks for this thread. I am in somewhat of a similar position except a bit further down the accountancy road. I'm 32, a chartered accountant based in Limerick (about 8 years post qual experience). Have a B Commerce along with masters in accounting from NUIG.

I've obviously worked for a long time in accounting, made a decent amount of money to almost pay off my mortgage. But to be honest, I'm fairly miserable in the work. The office politics, the excessive workloads and the stress that complex accounting problems bring eventually take their toll. Clawing for the 20-22 days annual leave makes me feel I'm just working to live, not the other way around. I just feel teaching would give me a brand new pep in life and make me go to work with a renewed focus and enthusiasm.

Howevery, having read through this thread, it just sounds like the opportunities to teach in business, accounting and economics simply aren't there. The lack of vacancies on the teaching council website appear to corroborate this. I drive and have no kids so would have had a certain degree of flexibility. Perhaps lecturing may offer me a better alternative. I'd welcome thoughts from anyone who may have been in a similar situation.

Postgrad10

The teaching council isn't a job advertising site. It's the professional body of teachers you register with. You have to look at the individual ETB sites and education posts for the positions available.

The office politics and excessive workloads are equally to be found in teaching as in any career.

TheDriver

If you want full hours, you need to understand how a TT works. If u have one subject, it's nearly impossible to get a full timetable unless it's maths or English but even that's under pressure with reduced number of classes in each. You need 2 good subjects i.e. Not just Cspe to give yourself the best shot.

TheDriver

If you want to avoid office politics, I'd suggest becoming a sole trader, plumber, artist etc etc. Teaching and staff rooms are rife with politics, some can be downright septic.

Teacher0101

If you're an accountant looking to get into teaching: you'll do a 2 year MA, then get very low hours around say 8 a week or you could get a full contract.

When you're miserable in your job, you're miserable - but all your systems work, computers, pens, whatever accountants use.
Students don't work like that. You can't do '**** all behind a desk' for a day. No matter how **** you feel.
They don't bring stuff with them, they don't want to be there (not all, but a lot). It's a ****ing nosedive in terms of pay. Have a cold shower, and rethink.

evolving_doors

I think the guy is in a good place as he's not that financially bound and is able to travel easily enough without childcare considerations.

So you should look and see what areas you're actually qualified to teach with the teaching council (get your quals assessed). I know a few business folk who found it easier to get recognised to teach maths than engineers.
If you've any other skills to offer as well it might be enough to get you in the door for a tryout! (First aid, Sports coaching, IT Skills).

You could also go abroad to the UK and get paid to train to be a teacher! You'd probably have a better chance of getting full time experience quick enough which would stand to you in Ireland.

I don't know if you could get into lecturing so easy, you'd probably have to get back in the loop with a masters or PHd and get your name known amongst seniors. Or try out the adult education route.

If you can get a good enough school, the politics ain't so bad and the kids mightn't be that bad either. Don't do it for the money though. If you had some connections in the school you went to yourself they might be able to help you out later on with a bit of subwork.

TheDriver

evolving_doors wrote: »

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If you can get a good enough school, the politics ain't so bad and the kids mightn't be that bad either. Don't do it for the money though. If you had some connections in the school you went to yourself they might be able to help you out later on with a bit of subwork.

I found that so called good schools can have the worst politics and the tough schools have great staffroom friendships. Of course I'm generalising and doesn't cover all

The_Honeybadger

Mullocker wrote: »

Thanks for this thread. I am in somewhat of a similar position except a bit further down the accountancy road. I'm 32, a chartered accountant based in Limerick (about 8 years post qual experience). Have a B Commerce along with masters in accounting from NUIG.

I've obviously worked for a long time in accounting, made a decent amount of money to almost pay off my mortgage. But to be honest, I'm fairly miserable in the work. The office politics, the excessive workloads and the stress that complex accounting problems bring eventually take their toll. Clawing for the 20-22 days annual leave makes me feel I'm just working to live, not the other way around. I just feel teaching would give me a brand new pep in life and make me go to work with a renewed focus and enthusiasm.

Howevery, having read through this thread, it just sounds like the opportunities to teach in business, accounting and economics simply aren't there. The lack of vacancies on the teaching council website appear to corroborate this. I drive and have no kids so would have had a certain degree of flexibility. Perhaps lecturing may offer me a better alternative. I'd welcome thoughts from anyone who may have been in a similar situation.

With your qualifications and experience you could look at doing consulting or retrain to diversify in to something you find more interesting.

I have a good friend with very similar qualifications to yourself who completely burned out at 35 from stress and the general drudgery of accounting he just had no will to keep doing it. He went back to retrain as a primary school teacher and is very happy now but the drop in income was insane he has two kids I don’t know how he managed it taking home less than half what he was used to. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

happywithlife

maybe look into the area of teaching basic accounting to those setting up their own business - I haven't a clue but I'd imagine the likes of the IDA or a regional body that helps small businesses start up would be a good starting point

daretodream

Doing lots of research pre CAO choice time and considering teaching. Would Maths + Applied Maths (maths Ed) or Maths + Physics (science Ed) be best bet for jobs? Both in NUIM 5 year courses.

BrokenMirror

lightspeed wrote: »

Do you or anyone know what his jobs prospects would be abroad?

Ive seen some articles making reference to teachers going abroad as strong demand for teachers elsewhere like Dubai etc. Would this include newly qualified with little to no post qualified experience?

Can he volunteer? It may not be ideal financially but in my own personal experience it was through volunteer teaching and volunteering with young people I got my foot in the door. What also helped me was teaching English in Summer schools and just doing whatever I could to build on my CV. I don't drive either, its just far to expensive to learn how to without an income, for me that meant travelling by bus for 2.5 hours each way to a Summer teaching job but the experience was invaluable and it helped me find future short term positions which eventually led to a subbing position where im not even teaching the subject I qualified in.
My personal advice to your nephew would be to not pigeon hole himself, don't only apply to jobs advertised under his subjects, apply to ESL, Youthreach and adult ed jobs, try to get work experience/volunteer with special needs, the boy scouts, local Youthclubs etc. It mightned seem like much but ive found having this experience on my cv has secured me a number of interviews so I dont feel it's anything to be overlooked.

mirrorwall14

daretodream wrote: »

Doing lots of research pre CAO choice time and considering teaching. Would Maths + Applied Maths (maths Ed) or Maths + Physics (science Ed) be best bet for jobs? Both in NUIM 5 year courses.

If the maths/physics qualified you for junior science it’s a no brainer. One qualifies you for an obligatory subject, a widely taken JC subject and a minor LC subject. The other is an obligatory subject and a very very small LC subject

daretodream

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

If the maths/physics qualified you for junior science it’s a no brainer. One qualifies you for an obligatory subject, a widely taken JC subject and a minor LC subject. The other is an obligatory subject and a very very small LC subject

Thanks for that. Say instead I did Theoretical Maths + Physics (also NUIM) and later did the PME, would that mean I could teach Maths, Applied Maths, Physics and JC Science?

mirrorwall14

daretodream wrote: »

Thanks for that. Say instead I did Theoretical Maths + Physics (also NUIM) and later did the PME, would that mean I could teach Maths, Applied Maths, Physics and JC Science?

I’m not sure you would need to check with the teaching council. However it would be unusual to be qualified for three LC subjects from only one Primary degree and no extra credits taken for the third subject

daretodream

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

I’m not sure you would need to check with the teaching council. However it would be unusual to be qualified for three LC subjects from only one Primary degree and no extra credits taken for the third subject

OK, will check with them. Thanks again.