WIREDGOV

One in ten workers considering teaching

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOR SCHOOLS News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service. 24 February 2009

* One in ten workers are considering a career in teaching
* Applications for teacher training up by more than 10 per cent
* Teacher recruitment web enquiries up 45 per cent
* 1,238 fans have logged on to follow Facebook teachers
* Flagship recruitment events are the most popular ever

Teaching is experiencing its biggest recruitment boom for years with one in ten workers considering a career in teaching, according to statistics from the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA). The TDA has seen an increase of 45 per cent in online enquiries from potential teachers since the start of the recruitment year, compared to the same period year on year.

Applications to teacher training between 1 September 2008 and 3 February 2009 are up by 10.7 per cent on the same period in the previous year. Also, more people are considering teaching subjects like maths and science, to which it is traditionally difficult to recruit. Applications for science are up 23 per cent this recruitment year to date, compared to last year.

The number of registrations to the Teaching Information Line for maths is up 40 per cent so far this recruitment year with 4,402 people interested in teaching the subject compared to 3,145 in 2007/2008. The number of actual applicants who are interested in teaching maths is also looking very promising; with a 25 per cent rise compared to this time last year.

The TDA is hosting three Train to Teach recruitment events across the country starting in the capital on Friday 27 February. The events encourage jobseekers to speak to teachers and training providers about life in the classroom and the application process. So far this year, 8,977 people have registered to attend an event, significantly up on 2008. To register for one of the Train to Teach events in London, Manchester or Birmingham go to http://www.teach.gov.uk/traintoteach

Graham Holley, Chief Executive of the TDA, said

"We're seeing an unprecedented and sustained rise in enquiries about teaching. Over 1,000 people have visited our "city seminars" for those in the financial sector considering teaching, and our new TDA Facebook pages - where people who are interested in teaching can chat to existing teachers - are receiving up to 2,700 unique views per day. Our Train to Teach events provide excellent face-to-face advice to help jobseekers understand how they can convert that interest in teaching into an application."

The Train to Teach nationwide events kick off in the capital this month, followed by two-day events in Birmingham and Manchester.

There are also examples of teaching in action on the TDA's Youtube page http://www.youtube.com/tdacampaign. The website will show students across the country participating in a science challenge involving screaming Jelly Babies ahead of National Science Week.

Those unable to attend Train to Teach go to http://www.teach.gov.uk/talent or call the Teaching Information Line on 0845 6000 991 for further information.

ENDS

General TDA enquiries
Contact: Melanie Purkis
Telephone: 0207 023 8020
Email: melanie.purkis@tda.gov.uk

* The Train to Teach events take place at the following locations:
- Train to Teach - London and South East: Friday 27 February 2009: 9am-6.30pm and Saturday 28 February 2009: 9.30am-5pm at the Science Museum, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2DD
- Train to Teach - Midlands: Friday 6 March 2009: 9am-6pm and Saturday 7 March 2009: 10am-4pm located in the ThinkTank at Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham, B4 7XG
- Train to Teach - North: Friday 13 March 2009: 9am-6pm and Saturday 14 March 2009: 10am-4pm at The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester, M3 4FP
* Research on the appetite for teaching was conducted by ICM from 16th to 18th January among UK full or part time workers considering a change of career. The results come from more than 500 UK full or part time workers considering a change of career.
* Since 1 September 2008 to 14 January 2009 the number of people enquiring online about becoming a teacher is 45 per cent. The number of visits to http://www.teach.gov.uk/talent reached 537,194 from 1 September 2007 to 14 January 2008, while the same period this year saw 850,234 visits
* The TDA recruitment year runs from the 1 September - 31 August
* Application figures are taken from http://www.gttr.ac.uk/.
* Pre-registration figures for Train to Teach - London: 5512 - North: 1828 - Midlands: 1637 as of 20 February 2009
* People who are interested in teaching can now get their questions answered on Facebook by visiting http://www.facebook.com/teach and http://www.facebook.com/teaching
* The Training and Development Agency for Schools was established under the Education Act 2005 and was formerly known as the Teacher Training Agency. Its principle aim is to secure an effective school workforce that improves children's life chances.
* Experienced classroom teachers could earn between £35 - £42,000. The classroom teacher salary range is £20,500-£61,000. Tax-free bursaries of up to £9,000 are also in place to enable jobseekers to study for a teaching qualification.
* For more information about how to become a teacher, see http://www.teach.gov.uk/talent
* Personal advice is available from the Teaching Information Line on 0845 6000 991 - 992 for Welsh speakers (minicom 0117 915 8161)