I have dilemma: which career path (if any) is right for me? I have been offered a job back in industry from a former colleague. AIBU to leave teaching to take it??
Background: I started working at an automotive company after graduating from uni with a masters in engineering. This role was outward facing and I often felt like I didn't quite belong, or have my own team as there was quite a lot of travel and solo working. I then qualified as a secondary teacher where I have been working since but flitting from job to job and I haven’t stayed in one school for longer than 2 years thanks to maternity leaves, relocation up and down the country, and COVID.
Teaching thoughts:
- I like being part of team and having the other teachers around me
- I like feeling like I'm making a positive impact on the students' lives and interacting with them in general.
- I don't really take work home as I'm quite happy to wing my lessons and don't feel I need to overly plan them too much.
- I filter out as much of bullshit paperwork etc as I reasonable can.
- However teaching is inherently not flexible as there are classes you need to teach so couldn't take days off outside of school holidays
- As a subject teacher the actual lessons etc are very boring/predictable. I could tell you the topics I'd be teaching this time in 2 years time. I'm not passionate about my subject really
- I think if I stayed I would like to try and go to head of year then up to deputy head etc that way.
- I currently work 3 days per week and I love that. I think I would resent having to do more, but could possible budge up to 4 if I needed to for career progression
Industry thoughts:
- Generally engineering, project management, product owner, supply chain type roles are a bit more flexible than teaching in that I could take a random morning off to go and watch my child in a nativity for example which I couldn't do with teaching. Or go to a friend's birthday, or a wedding etc
- I like variety and doing different things/using different skills. I have additional qualifications in Project Management and Accountancy just because I find them interesting
- I'd still like to stay part time. Don't know how easy that is in industry. Ideally around 30hrs
- What happens in school holidays? At the moment my children are nursery aged - but will I regret not being able to have the school holidays off with them?
I would really love any insight from anyone that has gone from teaching to something else. Do you miss the holidays? Or from anyone else - what would you do? The pay is approx £45 per year for both jobs.