Retraining: how to get out of teaching?!

[UrbanMage]

I think I’m done with teaching after 14 years. To cut a long story short, I’ve been at my current school since September 2020 and although there are so many positive aspects, I’m having a huge crisis of faith and am not enjoying it at all any more. I definitely don’t want to start over anywhere else. I’m happy to stick it out till my Year 11s leave.

I’d love to have a new direction, work in publishing or editing. Tbh anything with books or digital media (my teaching background is in English and Media Studies), but I’m finding it really hard when applying for jobs as I don’t seems to be remotely qualified for 95% of them. I also don’t care about starting at a junior level as I’ve been saving up just in case I quit without future prospects.

I’m not keen on the idea of tutoring, FE or anything like that as I’m just done with the battles, the scrutiny and generally hating life at work.

This is just a bit of a ramble…

I guess what I’m asking is… how can I get into the sector I want as I seem to have no skills that are transferable…

As with all kiddos fresh out of uni entering those sectors, working for free 😂 is usually an in. Internships, you can also often join graduate schemes as a mature person. My ex was in a consultancy grad scheme with a 50 year old. Otherwise, yeah, start at the bottom of the barrel, but keep in mind you'll likely never get the salary and benefits you'll get from teaching. These industries are often severely underpaid due to the competitive nature of the field.

A lot of teachers go on to do something else, but I did not find it easy when I was applying for non teaching jobs.
At interview all the experience related questions I was asked could only be related to my teaching experience, rather than in the field I was applying for. Despite the job spec possibly saying 'experience not essential' my feedback was always great but the job went to someone with 'more experience'. Drove me to distraction...as why waste both our times?
I eventually got my current post, pay a lot lower and I will never stop missing the holidays.
Good luck.

You might find some useful courses on the likes of FutureLearn? Not exactly carer changing but enough of an introduction and might help you get a foot in the door somewhere else,perhaps?