Before working as a Career Change Advisor, I hadn’t come across the wonderful place of the Someday Islands. For those uninitiated, the Someday Islands are a version of the world where you actually do all the things that you talk about doing.
Get that dog, write that book, or just have a nice long rest.
But how do dreams end up on the Someday Islands? And how can you change that?
It can take time to change
Considering a career change is a significant decision that many professionals muse about for years before taking the leap, especially when transitioning to teaching later in their careers. I've had the privilege of speaking to many talented individuals, each finding themselves at a crossroads in their careers.
The most common phrase when I talk to someone? "If only I had talked to you sooner."
Our conversations don’t always spark immediate action, but they always help people understand the realities of teaching. And what's truly heartwarming is when people come back to us, and we revisit the discussion we had several years before.
It's fantastic to talk to those potential career changers and discovering that their passion for teaching hasn't dimmed. The idea has remained and they are ready to consider it again.
The Someday Islands are not a one-way trip for your career-change plans - they can always come back.
It's a delightful surprise for many people to discover that teacher training programs welcome career changers!
If not now, then when?
For these returning career changers, a familiar sentiment echoes: "If I don't do it now, I never will."
The decision to transition into teaching is often slowed by considerations about how it might impact personal lives. Financial and family obligations frequently stand as significant barriers, causing many to temporarily put their dream on hold.
Just recently, in a conversation with a returning Now Teacher, the sentiment rang true: "Now that my children are in secondary school, and I'm stable financially, I can finally turn my dream of teaching into a reality."
Qualification concerns and worries about the status of career changers in teaching often contribute to the delay in making the move too. Many people have doubts about if they are eligible, if they have the qualifications to teach or even if training courses accept anyone over 30 years-old
It's a delightful surprise for many people to discover that not only can the become teachers but that teacher training programs welcome career changers! Training providers embrace their diverse experiences and recognise the valuable impact these individuals can have in the classroom.
The most common phrase when I talk to someone? "If only I had talked to you sooner."
If you find yourself on the brink of a career switch – you're not alone in this. There are thousands of people considering a second career in teaching every year.
Change begets change
Beyond the hurdles of family, finances and qualification worries, many potential Now Teachers often reveal that a pivotal factor in their decision to return stems from a change in their current job.
Be it a shift in roles or the possibility of redundancy, these changes can start the germination of a seed that was planted many years ago – the aspiration to pursue a career in teaching.
The opportunity to teach can open the door to realising long-held ambitions and offers a meaningful path forward in any professional journey.
So, if you find yourself on the brink of a career switch and are considering retraining as a teacher, remember – you're not alone in this. There are thousands of people considering a second career in teaching every year - and I am at the end of a phone to answer your questions and show you the next steps.
Take that leap, embrace the change, talk to us... and who knows? A few years down the line, you might be looking back, grateful you didn't let those doubts hold you back. No-one wants to stay on the Someday Islands for too long.
Now Teach is a charity founded to support people like you transition into teaching and in doing so bring your years of professional experience into the classroom.