Despite complaints about bad behaviour, workload and Government interference, teaching appears to be a growing choice among career changers in Birmingham.
The proportion of people aged over 30 becoming qualified teachers in the city has more than doubled in recent years, according to figures from the Training and Development Agency for Schools.
The most common sector they switch from is administrative/secretarial work, followed by banking, engineering, retail and healthcare.
The TDA was hosting a teaching careers fair at Birmingham’s Think Tank at Millennium Point today.
More than 30 teacher training providers, including universities, colleges and schools, will be on hand to give information and advice to anyone considering a career change.
The TDA statistics show 221 people aged over 30 trained to gain qualified teacher status in Birmingham in 2001/01. By 2004/05 the figure had risen to 483 – a 119 per cent increase.
Graham Holley, chief executive of the TDA, said: "Career changers say they are attracted to teaching because of the unique combination of working with young people and the opportunities to use their degree knowledge and be creative in bringing lessons to life.
"Very few jobs can offer such an exciting mix, alongside genuine career prospects."
Mr Holley also cited "competitive starting salaries" of up to #20,133 as an attraction.
The study, however, does not reveal how many teachers quit the profession. A poll of 70,000 teachers in 2003 found that one in three planned to quit within five years.
The survey by the General Teaching Council for England blamed badly-behaved pupils, an excessive workload and too many Government initiatives for damaging morale.
