my dp is doing a year training to be a science teacher.
He is on a graduate scheme which is slightly different from pgce. He is 42, so a bit older than you are.
There are loads of NQT jobs out there, but so far he hasn't actually applied for any, so can't say how easy/difficult it will be - he's planning on spending Easter applying for jobs.
He has at the moment an HORRENDOUS amount of work to do but this is only for the training year - although he will still have lesson planning and marking, we are thinking that there should be about three hours work per night once he is in the swing of it, iyswim. (most of which he will do at school before coming home, so not much HOME work)
For private schools, I believe, you need to do your training year/years, then an NQT year then you are free to apply to the private sector. They don't seem to be much better paid, but often come with perks.
He is enjoying the work so far, but finds the attitude of some of the other teachers a bit hard, and some of the kids that in his opinion should not be in a main stream school, he is trying to teach them science to the national curriculum, when they can't even read... that's an issue for him.
If you want to cat me, I can ask him to contact you to give you a more personal view.