Life after teaching - is there one?

[Lieby]

I'm mid fifties, pt primary school teacher looking for a change of direction. Lots of crapola (seems to me) written about transferable skills-I know I’m very capable, but looking at job ads/agencies, all require direct experience. I found a great looking agency the other day that specialises in placing over 50s, with a front page picture of people my age in a cafe looking happy whilst examining a spreadsheet. Hmmm-I thought this looks just the type of agency, signed up, ran a search, and came up with a selection of jobs including cleaner at Lidl, betting shop cashier, and co op assistant supervisor. Most definitely not saying there’s anything wrong with these jobs, but there was simply nothing other than this type of thing. Do I accept that apart from teaching I’ll never work again? I’ve got loads of sparky energy, and that seems such a waste! And I live in inner London. Any suggestions of alternative jobs/careers very very gratefully accepted. Please though-not tutoring!

Are you good with tech? There are lots of jobs in Ed tech and learning design.

Tricky. I'm 50, been a teacher all my adult life, as has dh (46). I've been part time/doing supply/self-employed peripatetic for some years and had lost hope of getting back to full time teaching (wasn't sure if I wanted to, but applied to lots and didn'tget them due to being too old,expensiveand lacking solud recent experience). Dh was SLT.

We had both been thinking about leaving teaching. He's just left for a high-level admin role at a university. Years of SLT meant he had management skills and stuff on his cv which made him able to apply for this kind of role.

But when I looked for jobs for me, I found exactly the same as you have. I was ready to embrace it and go and be a receptionist in an optician's or something (quute fancied that!). But then unexpectedly got a ft teaching job for September in the school of my dreams!

Anyway... in short YANBU to be finding it hard! Age and lack of direct experience are a kicker.

Well it hinges on your view of retraining - how much time and formality are you happy with?

It's not realistic to expect to jump into a new career midway up without experience of the new sector - same as other people wouldn't expect their transferable career skills to result in them being set loose in a classroom with qts on day one despite zero experience or training as a teacher.

Do you know what sector youre interested in? What would be a good fit for your interests as well as skills? What level of responsibility and pressures would you accept?

with a front page picture of people my age in a cafe looking happy whilst examining a spreadsheet

What job did you think this represented that you were interested in?

There’s a really good Facebook page called Life after Teaching - Exit the classroom and thrive. I have recently given up teaching too and you will get loads of tips and great advice on there. Gave me a lot of hope.

What about the Civil Service? My area is always DESPERATE to recruit, and there are some interesting jobs coming online at the moment.

Oooo. What area are you in? Would definitely be worth looking at. Thank you!

Check out #TransitioningTeachers on LinkedIn. PP is right, EdTech and L&D are extremely transferable career pivots for teachers looking for a change.

The Dept for Education has a quite a lot of former teachers.

As you are in London, what about looking to the musuems, galleries and theatres, many have education programmes where your teaching skills could be in demand.