I want a job that will pay 35-40k (leaving teaching)

[Pestopastamad]

I'm a teacher, thinking about leaving the profession. I've got a 1st class education degree, and I've been teaching for a few years. Ive enjoyed it so far, but I fancy a change now.

Ideally I want a job that will lead to a 35-40k salary in the first 10 years. I've taught since graduation, so don't really have any ideas what I would like to do other than teach. I would like a job that matches or exceeds my teaching salary. Any suggestions about what I could work as? I'd rather not retrain, but wouldn't be totally adverse to a master's conversion course for the right industry/role.

Careers consultant is a really great job. We have quite a few ex teachers but actually everyone is on their 2nd, 3rd or 4th career and it makes for a very interesting group of colleagues. Caring dedicated people and a nice environment. And we always seem to be recruiting!

I've read that quite a few ex-teachers are London underground drivers, who earn about £50,000.
the training is not too onerous, for an intelligent person who drives a car, you should be able to pick it up.
and there's no marking/ preparation. when not on duty, your time is your own.
think laterally. there may be many other jobs you could try.

I found when I was desperate to leave teaching (hated secondary 11-16 and wasn't good at it) I really struggled to get anything where I lived in a comparable salary (I was looking for 25k). Perhaps in a large city you may be more successful but in more provincial locations there just aren't the publishers/PR agencies dying for ex English teachers as I might have liked. In the end I applied for a job in a careers team in a sixth form college for half the pay of a teacher (13k for 30hours pw) and eventually went back into teaching in the same college, starting with GCSE then A Levels. Now I love my job so very happy but the reality for me was that I kind of was 'trapped' in teaching.

Could private tutoring be a possibility? You could focus on the subjects you're passionate about.

I'd disagree with the posters who have suggested accounting if you don't like the mathematical side of things. Whilst some of the "on the job stuff" might not be hugely mathematical, the exams to get there certainly are (I've done them). Unless it's a bookkeeping/accounts assistant role, but then you wouldn't get up to £40k.

Have you ever left the academic world? If not, some of the proposals are completely unrealistic. No one is going to offer you, say, a project manager role in construction if you've never left a classroom.

Loads of ex-teachers in managerial roles at my work (local authority). Not education-related jobs either.

whilst you are likely to have transferable skills, you may need to take a drop in salary initially if you want to train in a profession that you currently have no experience of.

Have you looked into editorial roles? Perhaps for a company that makes teaching resources - your knowledge of the curriculum would give you a great advantage. Type "education editor job" into Google and there are dozens of roles (in the wage bracket you're looking for).

Good luck with the job switch!

@Piggywaspushed but no one is suggesting that you can walk into teaching - unlike most of the jobs here!

@Redlocks30 the op is happy to take a salary of 35k so I’m guessing a cut or recognition of the value the teaching package offers. Some of these suggestions are nonsense. Journalism ?! Straight into tube driver job !?! I’m guessing if these 35k jobs were so plentiful the op would not be needing to ask Mumsnet

Know several primary teachers who became SENCOs and used that as a route out if the classroom whilst still in the education field

Copywriting. Start by looking for copywriting jobs in the educational field. You can do things like write and edit the copy for your school website, creating a strong brand and coherent, sustained house style throughout all the pages. That would be a great showcase. IME people only care if you can write the sort of copy they want. You either can or can't. They don't care much about your training. Build up some freelance work with local businesses. Specialise in fields that genuinely interest you. Apply for just above entry level jobs then move every twelve months until you are at the salary level you want. You could easily be at 35-40k as a lead or senior copywriter within 10 years. It's a lovely job.

@Redlocks30 apologies! Op wants to match or exceed teaching salary!! Without the holidays 😂

Well, yes , agreed tara but I guess they are suggesting where she could begin looking. Some of the suggestions are barmy.

Apeech and language therapy?
Or, go do a phd and get into academia (Education as your subject)

do a phd and get into academia

This thread is hilarious.

Are civil service jobs policy jobs? London based?

Ive googled but dont know anyone who works in "the civil service " in my area, and at uni I remember those wanting to do the grad scheme were going to London. Just curious as to what people mean.

I just wish Id started as an OT or psychologist instead of teacher pre kids when it was easier to train!

Retail management; yes its shift / weekend work but the salaries can be fantastic. I was on more than that as a middle manager in retail.

Some of these suggestions are ridiculous.

Publishing/journalism/advertising are ferociously competitive and full of bright young things prepared to work for peanuts.

Academia 😂. Anyone I know in academia would be delighted to have a job, let alone one that paid 35K.

OP I think you need to decide if you are prepared to start from the absolute bottom with all the fresh grads. Or if you’d prefer to step sideways into something where your teaching background could give you a leg up. What do you think?

do a phd and get into academia

This thread is hilarious

It really is. That's the problem with asking a load of randomers for careers advice!

The OP would probably benefit from seeing a career professional. You may still be able to access the careers support from your university @Pestopastamad

Some people strike it lucky because they are blessed with confidence, an engaging personality, great communication skills. They can launch several careers in a lifetime and be successful at every one. Most people aren't so lucky.

I used to work in recruitment and the most difficult people to work with were school teachers and police officers looking for a career change. These are both very demanding roles, needing particularly special skills, but it's very difficult transferring these skills to other careers. It was almost impossible to match salary expectations and benefits with reality.

The most successful career changers are ones who prepare for the new career, invest their own time and money in retraining, and yes, are prepared to take a cut in salary with a view to recouping that in the long term. They are also realistic about the transferability of their skills - managing a class of 30 8-year-olds is challenging, but it's not the same skills as managing 30 adults, budgets and health and safety legislation etc.

Educational Psychology? You'd have to do a conversion then doctorate, but the Ed psych doctorate is currently funded.

Not sure what people are talking about saying teaching money is pretty good. It isn’t at all. If you have good editorial skills then market yourself as a freelance copy editor or proofreader. Starting pay of £250 a day with professional clients. You could do a few gigs for less to build your portfolio.

I always see civil service jobs recommended on pages like this. Is there anyone with insight into these who can explain further?

It's something I've been recommended before (social worker, near a major city but not in the south east). The roles I see advertised always seem very specific and require very specific degree level skills (eg legal, surveyor, education management, high level HR, statistics).

Is there something I'm missing (eg are the roles more varied around London?) Or is it one of those things that people say because 40yrs ago if you had any degree you could get a generic white collar job but it's not the case now?

I've been both a careers professional and an English teacher. No way would the OP have walked into project management in the Third sector where I worked and even if she could she'd have taken a significant pay cut. And my final role there coordinating the careers provision for the second largest drug and alcohol service in the country paid less than an NQT.