Job shortage?

[JustTeach]

Hi, I have just been accepted to start pgce and schools direct primary placement in September. However, reading a teacher training group on Facebook I am now seriously concerned about the likelihood of getting a job following this. It seems that last year and this year there has been a reduction in teachers moving jobs (COVID related?) and an over supply of primary NQTs meaning many have to resort to supply. I am mid thirties and have a mortgage etc and though I have budgeted to do my training year I will really need a secure job at the end of it.

I knew it wouldn’t be a 100% guarantee of course but I thought there would be a high likelihood of getting a job, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I have wanted to retrain to be a teacher for years, and studied an OU degree while working FT to make this happen. I am now feeling anxious about my prospects of getting a job and don’t want to go through a year of unsalaried training and debt to end up with no job security or even no way to pay my bills the following year. Can anyone offer any insight to the job market and prospects please?

It is highly variable depending on area. There are ALWAYS nqt vacancies where I am because you are cheap! And fewer people choose to work there, I guess. I can solid guarantee you there are always jobs in Peterborough and Wisbech! And most of the East. Not so many when you are more expensive though.

@phlebasconsidered thanks, interesting it’s so area dependent. I’m NW and not that near the cities of Liverpool and Manchester so I think it’s a bit of a challenge round here. I just don’t know what to do whether to go for it or not now. It’s a long time dream and I’m so glad to be at the end of my degree and been offered a place but the thought of not getting a job at the end of it is so scary!

You could always do supply for a while if there's not a job directly at the end of it. That's a perfectly good means of teaching whilst you look for something. It pays the bills and it will also mean that you get to see lots of different schools and get your face known in them as well. It's a good way to build up a reputation as well and you can then get a job that way as well as you're known to the school.

If the career you want is teaching and you've got the place already to train surely you should go for it. The whole world is different currently due to covid so.. I don't know that it's the best plan to just write everything off now!

@OpheliasCrayon, oh I do want it very much. It’s been tough working full time and doing a degree but I have been motivated as I am keen to be a teacher.
I am in a bit of a complicated situation where I need to be sure I can remortgage my house in just my name at the end of training which is why supply isn’t an option for me unfortunately as without a job contract I won’t get a mortgage. But you are right I don’t want to give up on my dreams. Probably just overthinking. It’s been a difficult time.

[quote JustTeach]@OpheliasCrayon, oh I do want it very much. It’s been tough working full time and doing a degree but I have been motivated as I am keen to be a teacher.
I am in a bit of a complicated situation where I need to be sure I can remortgage my house in just my name at the end of training which is why supply isn’t an option for me unfortunately as without a job contract I won’t get a mortgage. But you are right I don’t want to give up on my dreams. Probably just overthinking. It’s been a difficult time.[/quote]
Ah ok yes that's understandable if you need to be able to make the mortgage. I don't know what to suggest but... I'm guessing you won't start until September? So you're going to be looking for job starting in sept 2022. That's a long while away!

Last year we trained the largest number of teachers we have ever recruited through School Direct and we were very worried as the pandemic kicked in about whether there would be jobs for them or not.
But they all got FT jobs by the start of September. We are not in a big city and none of them were prepared to move to nearby large cities, and there is a notoriously slow jobs market here.
As others have said, if you don't secure a job by September, supply is a real option to get you started and known in schools.

I've read a couple of articles lately that suggest recruitment is just delayed and there will be a burst later this year. I think schools are holding out on advertising in the hope that schools will open and they will be able to do face to face interviews. I've had to do a couple of online interviews in the last few weeks and it's been hard work for all concerned! If I was a headteacher I'd probably hold fire if I could and wait to see if schools are set to re-open.

Thanks all, generally it all sounds encouraging. I’ve had some time to reflect and I am going to go for it. Life’s too short to not go for your dreams and I’ve wanted to do this for so long now.

I don’t have any experience of getting a mortgage whilst on short term supply, but I did easily her a mortgage on a one year temporary contract and with two and a half years of temporary contracts/long term supply before that. The mortgage advisor told me they weren’t interested in permanent contracts because no one is safe from redundancy, but that you were easily able to get a job.

Agreed with @fluffyowl00, when we got our mortgage I didn't have a permanent job and was only a few months from the end of a fixed term contract. And in fact, when covid hit, the vast majority of people made redundant from my workplace were permanent staff.