Monday 4th March 2024 marks the start of National Careers Week, which aims to shine a spotlight on career guidance activities and the variety of employment opportunities available across the country.

Given the recruitment struggles of many schools, colleges and alternative provisions, Vision for Education developed two free training programmes. These not only help schools with their staffing crisis but also provide individuals from other sectors, such as care and sport, an opportunity to change their career path and make the move into education.

Our National Teaching Assistant Programme (NTAP) and Cover Supervisor Programme (CSP), which include online training and a paid in-school placement, have attracted individuals from a range of backgrounds, including trainee architect James, who joined our Sheffield branch last year as a trainee Teaching Assistant.

Speaking about his experience of our NTAP programme, James said: “After spending six years training as an architect, I made the big decision to change careers and look for roles in education. I’m so glad I was introduced to the programme and given the opportunity to get paid while I retrained.

“My consultant was incredibly supportive, and my placement school couldn’t have been better. Once I completed my placement, I secured a long-term position at a local SEND school, which I really enjoy. I’d say to anyone thinking about joining NTAP that it’s never too late for a career change!”

Similarly, our CSP training programme has numerous success stories, including Daniel, who joined the programme after 20 years in the retail sector. He originally had a background in art and design and wanted to apply his skills more meaningfully. Since successfully completing the programme, Daniel has secured a permanent role as a design technician at a local secondary school.

Both programmes offer the opportunity for progression, exemplified by CSP trainee Stevan from Derbyshire, a forensic science graduate with a background in the police service. Following completion of our CSP, he is looking forward to starting his teacher training to gain qualified teacher status.

If you’ve got transferable skills and are considering a move into education, we’d love to hear from you. Visit our website for more information about our National Teaching Assistant Programme and Cover Supervisor Programme and to apply for the free training.