If you are considering teaching as a career option, gaining work experience is a great way to explore what a career in teaching could be like. Supporting young people to learn can help develop your own skills and experience and find out what you enjoy doing.
What advice do teachers have for young people who are interested in a teaching career?
Vicky, a secondary school science teacher advises ‘Teaching is a job that a lot of people think they know, once they’ve been in school for five years. But there’s so much more to teaching than you might realise. If you’re interested in teaching, I’d advise you to get some work experience in a different school to your own.
Any part-time work that involves communication and working with others will also help you – I worked in retail for several years before training to be a teacher, and that experience gave me the confidence to interact well with other adults.
Finally, train to teach a subject that you genuinely love and are passionate about, so you can pass that passion onto others.’
Lauren, a primary school teacher said ‘My advice to anyone who wants to become a primary school teacher is to spend as much time in the classroom as you can. Volunteer to work with children and watch a range of teachers. The beautiful thing about this career is you can shape it to be unique to you. There are so many additional roles in a school, so be brave and ambitious because, like me, you may just surprise yourself with the path you can take.’
What can you expect during a teaching work experience placement?
You’ll get to do things like:
- observe lessons
- see how teachers manage a classroom
- find out how specific subjects are taught
- speak to teachers and meet pupils
- learn more about teacher training – including the application and interview process
How can you find a placement in schools?
Your own school may have existing work experience options in place, including agreements with local primary schools to provide work experience for students.
If your school has something like this, it’s a great place to start. Talk to your tutor or careers adviser and ask them whether the school has any arrangements in place.
Once you’ve identified a suitable placement school, follow the instructions for how to apply. You may need to complete a form, send a letter, use an online application system, or provide a letter of recommendation from a teacher. Think about your favourite subjects, personal interests, experience and skills.
If you have a degree or are studying for one, visit Get Into Teaching to find out more about the DfE Get School Experience service where you can find local schools that offer placements.
There’s advice on:
- arranging school experience independently
- watching pre-recorded lessons
- other ways to gain valuable experience beyond the classroom.
You can also find out more about paid teaching internships.
Find out about nearby events, what teaching is really like, and how to get one-to-one support by registering for tailored advice to your inbox.
