Thinking of becoming a Teaching Assistant?

[bluesky4]

I'd say don't.
I trained as a teaching assistant, and am finding it really hard to get a job.
Alot of mums go in for this career, obviously because of the hours, getting school holidays off being the main one.
I don't like to sound negative, but to give you an inkling, I have met lots of women who are thinking or who have trained to do this (its easy as it is "just" a NVQ).
The last job I went for had over 170 applicants. For 1 vacancy.

but isn't that all jobs at the moment?

I just got a teaching assistant job
Haven't done an NVQ though
First one I applied for

Think it may depend more on experience than qualifications tbh
Ime voluntary work is the best route into working as a TA

wow, MoreCrackThanHarlem, how did you get a TA job without a qualification??

Do you have a teaching qualification?

Yes, you are right countrydurhamlass, the job market is tough at the moment.
However, there seems to be a lot of mums who are sitting at home who are thinking of going into teaching assistant(ing).

I wouldn't want them to get their hopes up that it is easy to get a job.
There is a constant stream of TA courses going on, and there is just not the vacancies there to support or justify the numbers of ppl allowed to train for this

TAs are not required to have a specific qualification

I have A levels, and 4 years experience as a volunteer in a Primary setting
I did a short child protection course as part of my application to become a licences chaperone

That's it.
Ime, the most capable TAs are the ones with the most experience

My advice to anyone thinking about being a TA would be to use their time volunteering, not working towards a qualification

licenced chaperone
ie looking after children in a theatre or film/tv studio setting

as I saw this thread I straight away thought - dont do it.

Its not that its not a great job if you can get it - just they are very hard to get and I agree theres already too many trained T.As without a job.