Where are all the teachers going?

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Hi - have namechanged for this as info might be identifying.

My DH has been a teacher for 15 years. He's a great teacher (and that's not just my biased opinion). Currently teaches special needs - the kids absolutely love his lessons. DH specialism is the Arts, v creative.

So, fly in the ointment is that he's always felt as if he has just 'fallen in' to teaching - and it was never what he was meant to do in life. Recently, this feeling has grown to the point that it's making him quite depressed and he wants out.

The news tells us that many teachers are leaving the profession - so I wondered - what sort of jobs are they going to? Can anyone tell me?

Thanks so much for your posts everyone. Sorry to hear that people are in the same boat but def some food for thought here that DH could look into.
Balia - I know exactly how you feel. We are financially in a very expensive time of our lives and haven't really got the freedom at the mo to explore all career options which I'm afraid might lead to more frustration and disillusionment for my DH.

My family have gone out on this beautiful day and I am stuck at home working on my lessons for next week. We're all having two pop ins. They can be at any point, so every lesson needs to be water-tight. The worst thing is, that none of the work I'm doing today will enhance anything for the children. It's all about making sure the observers are happy when they come in.

Robot, that's exactly why I want and need to leave teaching. I resent every second I miss with my children to complete pointless admin/data/monitoring tasks which not only have no benefit to the kids I teach, but which are doing them harm.

I had to get out. It made me so ill. I now tutor, volunteer for children's services, run holiday kids camps and do whatever I fancy.

I have a lot less money but have chosen to work a lot less hours. I'm happy

I left in July after11 years and have been doing supply teaching this year alongside specialist teaching (MFL) on a self-employed basis. I've really enjoyed teaching away from the bureacracy of a permanent job but it isn't a forever job (I've frozen my pension, work isn't guaranteed and no pay in the holidays).
I'm doing my final bit of supply this term and then looking for an office job for September.

I've gone part time. Purely for stress level reasons (I don't have DC) and I find it much more manageable - although still a lot of paper work. I am lucky that I'm financially able to do this - could it be an option for your dh? Even just cutting to 4 days?
I actually have my weekends to myself again now which never ever happened when I was full time.

My oh left teaching 3 years ago this weekend - has been running a charity shop and loving it. Working less even though she's full time and was only a .4 teacher and loves that Sunday feeling of not having to worry about planing.

I left after nine years.
Worked as a professional dog handler then set up my own kennels. Never regretted it for one minute. The two girls I shared a flat with as a student also left teaching, one is a PA & the other works in a library.

I am a home tutor for children without school places. I have a zero hour contact but the rate of pay is excellent and this year I've earned the same as I would have on a 0.6 FTE contact. I love what I do now, I get a fraction of the stress and work a fraction of the time than when I was in my last job (and I was only PT) and feel I can really make a difference.

I do get lulls in workload so I've now applied for another zero hour position with county as a contact supervisor for social services. This was partly inspired by my work with children in local authority care.