Have you ever thought about teaching as a career but you’re unsure about diving straight into a teacher training course? Do you feel overwhelmed by the different routes into teaching?
No matter what subject your undergraduate degree is in, you can gain experience in the classroom with Milk’s Graduate Scheme!
Not everyone has the same journey into teaching, and there are a few different routes you can take. Having classroom experience, however, will benefit all these pathways into teaching and give you vital insight into the daily life of a teacher.
Routes for Getting into Teaching:
- Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) or Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE). Both are academic courses provided by universities, and they offer credits at master’s degree level.
- School Direct & Teach First. This is an employment-based route, allowing you to learn as you earn, with the goal of achieving Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) at the end of the academic year. School Direct lasts for one year, whilst Teach First typically runs for two.
- Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeship (PTGA). Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeshipsare also a school-led, work-based teacher training route. This is a new programme and is nationally recognised as a pathway to QTS, but there are limited vacancies at the moment.
But why should you get into teaching?
As Milk’s Education Insider, I know all about the benefits that teaching has to offer (and it’s so much more than the holidays).
So, here’s 10 reasons why you should get into teaching and gain invaluable classroom experience!
1. Find Your Purpose and Share Your Passion
Maybe you’ve seen depictions of teachers in the media as making a huge difference in young people’s lives, turning non-readers into Shakespeare lovers or making poorly behaved students into rule-abiding angels over the course of a week.
Now, I’ll be honest. Teaching isn’t always this way. But the impact you can have on young people will go deeper than it seems in the films. It takes time and patience, but being a teacher can help you to find your purpose and make a long-lasting difference to the lives of young people.
One way that you can find your purpose through teaching is by being able to share your knowledge about subjects that you’re passionate about.
For example, if you decide to take a secondary teaching pathway, you can be subject-specific and create engaging lesson plans related to your chosen subject. If you want to work in a primary school, you can also specialise in a chosen subject, such as Maths or English.
With Milk’s Graduate Scheme, you can also make a purpose-driven impact before starting your teacher training journey, in partnership with Make Life Kind Charity!
You’ll be offered the opportunity to train as a Make Life Kind Charity Ambassador, so that you’ll have the tools to inspire and educate young people on a range of sensitive topics, such as body positivity, anti-racism, neurodiversity and knife crime.
2. Bursaries, Scholarships & Milk’s Graduate Scheme
If your teacher training course leads to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), there may be options available for bursaries or scholarships to help support you financially.
For bursaries, the amount you could be eligible for will differ depending on what subject you will be specialising in, and you can see the list of bursary amounts on the Get Into Teaching website.
Scholarships are available from different organisations, and can offer more than just financial support. These organisations can also provide you with access to events, workshops and mentoring opportunities.
Milk’s Graduate Scheme!
Gain classroom experience and prepare for your teacher training course with Milk’s Graduate Scheme!
What does the Graduate Scheme offer?
- Paid Classroom Experience. A long-term placement in a school near you, allowing you to support class teachers and help students on a one-to-one or whole class basis.
- High-quality CPD opportunities. You’ll have access to our Milk Academy CPD resources, along with opportunities to observe lessons and participate in on-site CPD sessions in school.
- FREE PSHE Lesson Plans. Modern lesson plans and resources focused on sensitive topics, such as anti-racism, vaping and disability awareness.
- Charity Ambassador Training. Become one of our Make Life Kind Charity Ambassadors to inspire and educate the next generation, by promoting important social messages in schools.
- Ongoing Support. Our empathetic Milk consultants will provide you with personalised guidance to help you navigate your career path with confidence, giving you regular advice to help you prepare for your teacher training course.
And SO much more!
Register for our Graduate Scheme today to discover what opportunities we have available in schools near you.
3. Be In-Demand for Job Roles
There is a teacher shortage in the U.K right now, with recruitment targets for teacher training courses missed in 10 subjects last academic year.
What does this mean for graduates who want to get into teaching?
Well, you’re starting your career when teaching is an incredibly in-demand role!
With additional classroom experience through Milk’s Graduate Scheme, you can strengthen your application for your teacher training course and future teaching roles.
SEND teachers, Modern Foreign Language teachers, Science teachers and Maths teachers are generally always in high demand, but due to the current widespread teacher shortage, all teaching roles are highly sought after.
4. Job Security
Becoming a teacher is one of the most reliable career paths you can choose, offering stability and job security. Your working days have consistent hours, and, of course, the school holidays.
I know you might not be thinking this far ahead, but teaching also has one of the most generous pension schemes in the U.K, offering you a secure way to save for your future self.
Salary is often a big factor to consider when choosing a new career path, and luckily teaching offers a competitive salary.
As of 2024, the minimum salary for those with Qualified Teacher Status is £30,000 outside of London, and £36,745 if you work in inner London.
This then rises every year you are in the pay scale, with opportunities available to progress to an Upper Pay Range after several years, once you have demonstrated a high level of competency and ongoing achievements and contributions within the school.
5. Nurturing Young People’s Talents & Interests
As a teacher, you can guide young people through different stages of their development. Whether you choose to work in Early Years, Primary or Secondary, there will be opportunities for you to help inspire and impact young people when it matters most.
From helping to nurture a love of reading and writing, to supporting students with after-school clubs such as Football or Art, you can help to empower the next generation to think creatively, critically and independently by cultivating a positive and engaging school environment.
6. Teaching Opens Doors
Teaching is one of the most respected professions in the world, and by completing your teacher training and gaining Qualified Teacher Status, you’ll open many doors for yourself.
By training to teach, you can have the opportunity to work abroad in international schools. This allows you to live abroad and be a part of a different culture, broadening your perspective and giving you a unique life experience.
Being a qualified teacher also enables you to progress further in your career. Teaching offers a lot of scope for career progression, such as Head of Department, Assistant Headteacher and even Headteacher roles. You can obtain a National Professional Qualification (NPQ) and take on a more senior role within your school.
7. Thrive in a Fast-Paced Environment
There’s no workplace as fast paced and exciting as the classroom!
Teaching offers you variety in your work, with every day offering something new. The content you’ll be teaching will differ from day to day, and students’ behaviour and ideas can change daily too. This makes teaching a job that’s full of opportunities, challenges and chances for you to be creative.
8. An Accessible Profession
Of course, there is an element of academic achievement required with teaching, but schools look for so much more than your qualifications when considering your application.
If you’re enthusiastic and passionate about working with young people, this passion can guide you throughout your teacher training, and Milk’s Graduate Scheme will give you the tools you need to feel ready before you start your PGCE or other accredited training course.
What are the entry requirements for training to teach? Take a look at the government guidelines (they differ for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so check carefully).
Generally, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree of a 2:2 or higher, as well as English & Maths qualifications at GCSE level. And, of course, a passion to teach and educate the next generation!
9. Every Day’s a School Day!
Teaching is a constantly evolving profession.
With new pedagogical approaches and methods being introduced, new research being reported, and student beliefs and behaviours changing to suit a fast-paced, technologically advanced world, staying stagnant isn’t an option in teaching.
As part of Milk’s Graduate Scheme, you’ll have access to regular in-person professional development opportunities in your school, as well as opportunities to observe lessons from a range of teachers in different subjects, age groups, and ability levels.
But the learning doesn’t stop there.
Milk provides access to FREE and discounted online CPD courses throughout the Graduate Scheme, so you can feel like top of the class when it comes time to start your teacher training course. Our CPD courses cover all the key elements of teaching, including:
- Lesson Planning
- Safeguarding
- Subject Specific Skills
- Challenging Behaviour Awareness
We also offer continued mental health and wellbeing support throughout your time with Milk, and you’ll have access to our Educator Wellbeing Guide, as well as Mental Health CPD courses.
10. Be a Part of an Education Revolution
Now is a fantastic time to train to be a teacher, because you get to be a part of a changing education landscape in the U.K.
It’s time to prepare young people for the future – a future that’s evolving faster than we could have ever expected.
Consider your own school experience. What were things that you wish you were taught?
Maybe you wish you were more prepared to deal with finances, relationships, or even online dangers.
You can be that teacher for the next generation.
It might sound cliché, but you really can make a difference through your own creative spin on the curriculum.
Prepare for Teaching with Milk’s Graduate Scheme
Gaining classroom experience is vital to your progression into teaching, and you can pick up so many ideas from both new and experienced teachers.
When I started teaching, observing all the unique and interesting lessons that other teachers had planned was so helpful, and allowed me to consider the kind of teacher that I wanted to be.
If you’re interested in a rewarding career in teaching, register for our Graduate Scheme to begin your classroom journey. Your postgraduate plan starts here!