Dealing with job insecurity

Tom Dunne

As I have mentioned in numerous threads before, permanent lecturing jobs are few and far between. It appears that is the case in teaching too.

I left a relatively good IT job to take a lecturing position. It was made clear that it was a temporary position, with no guarantees that the contract would be extended. As it turned out, the hours weren't there for me, so I am now back in a regular 9-5 job, lecturing in the evenings.

I don't regret taking the risk - it didn't work out, it happens. What I did have great trouble with was the insecurity, the not knowing if I would have a job the following September. Looking at job adverts for lecturers now, they are all TWT (Temporary Whole-time), mostly one year contracts. I am reluctant to take the risk again.

My point being, it sounds like it is the same story for teachers. How do you deal with it? I have a mortgage (and a wife!) and bills to pay, I don't like the thoughts of jumping from one college to another every year until someday I get a permanent position. I love lecturing, but I hate insecurity.

slickmcvic

Yeah I didnt realise that security thing ws such a big deal till recently......I've been teachin since graduation in 2004 and thankfully I've got a TWT position now. My main hope is to hang onto my current job for 3 more years and Get a C.I.D (contract of indefinate Duration)where u'll be granted most of the benefits of a permanent position.

AidoCQS

I think the whole permenent pensionable thing is under threat anyway. For instance I think anybody hired in the IT's will be signing a contract with their IT's director as apposed to the Dept of Education, as was previously the case.