Looking for a career change

Plump Jake

Hi I have worked for years in the IFSC with long hours -usually 12 hour days often 14 with too much travel. I am considering primary teaching as a career change. How long would it take to be qualified and earning again? I have a BBS from UL. I could afford to take 3 years without pay as I have good savings built up.

mirrorwall14

Scroll down to the thread about starting teaching in Ireland at 40. All the advice applies. If you have any other questions just ask.

In short:
I don't know what BBS is but if it's an allowed convertible degree you will have a two year course to do which will cost the guts of 12k and won't leave a lot of time for working.
After that you face years of part time work as permanent jobs are as rare as hens teeth.

Plump Jake

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Scroll down to the thread about starting teaching in Ireland at 40. All the advice applies. If you have any other questions just ask.

In short:
I don't know what BBS is but if it's an allowed convertible degree you will have a two year course to do which will cost the guts of 12k and won't leave a lot of time for working.
After that you face years of part time work as permanent jobs are as rare as hens teeth.

BBS = bachelor of business's studies. The cost and not earning for a period isn't an issue as I have put aside bonuses for the past 10 years so have excess of 200k to play with. Am interested in the shorter hours and good scheduled holidays that are currently missing from my work life.

mirrorwall14

Plump Jake wrote: »

BBS = bachelor of business's studies. The cost and not earning for a period isn't an issue as I have put aside bonuses for the past 10 years so have excess of 200k to play with. Am interested in the shorter hours and good scheduled holidays that are currently missing from my work life.

Scheduled holidays yes shorter hours is not as good as you may think. School doesn't end at 3 during term times, there is a lot of planning, preparation work and paperwork that has to be done. While you might see teachers leaving the car park at three, most teachers who are worth their salt are doing a ton of work at home in the evening afterwards. Someone in primary can give you a better perspective but to give you some idea I work 850-345. Every single free minute is busy. I often work through small break and regularly through at least half of lunch. I do this to try and minimise the work I need to do at home but it is no where near enough. I do at least 2 hours a night at home and when there is correction/paperwork it could be hours more.

You also don't mention at all if you would even like to be a teacher. The only reasons you've given is holidays and a shorter day? Honestly if this is the case please stay away from teaching

fall

You will certainly get longer holidays but you will most likely not be paid for them for many years until you get your own contract. A lot of new teachers now work during their summers.

Plump Jake

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Scheduled holidays yes shorter hours is not as good as you may think. School doesn't end at 3 during term times, there is a lot of planning, preparation work and paperwork that has to be done. While you might see teachers leaving the car park at three, most teachers who are worth their salt are doing a ton of work at home in the evening afterwards. Someone in primary can give you a better perspective but to give you some idea I work 850-345. Every single free minute is busy. I often work through small break and regularly through at least half of lunch. I do this to try and minimise the work I need to do at home but it is no where near enough. I do at least 2 hours a night at home and when there is correction/paperwork it could be hours more.

You also don't mention at all if you would even like to be a teacher. The only reasons you've given is holidays and a shorter day? Honestly if this is the case please stay away from teaching

My hours are 8am to 8pm so 8.50 to 3.45 is very attractive. Often I work Saturdays. My neighbour who works junior infants is home at 2pm every day.

purplecow1977

Plump Jake wrote: »

My hours are 8am to 8pm so 8.50 to 3.45 is very attractive. Often I work Saturdays. My neighbour who works junior infants is home at 2pm every day.

I doubt that.

Infant teachers are required to stay for the full day, and the earliest he/she would be allowed to finish would be 2.30, presuming a school starts at 8.50am.

The last 2 weeks I have been at work from 9am - 4.45pm and generally done another hour or 2 at home. Trying to motivate myself to now start collecting the 2 bundles of copies I brought home, amongst other things, so I can free myself up a bit next week.

Your Junior Infant teacher friend HAS to prepare work and do plans outside of those hours, it's not possible to have everythingn organised otherwise. I know plenty of teachers who arrive on the dot and leave on the dot but I know they do plenty at home.

Plump Jake

fall wrote: »

You will certainly get longer holidays but you will most likely not be paid for them for many years until you get your own contract. A lot of new teachers now work during their summers.

Yes. It is a matter of strict budgeting salary over 12 months though.

notdarkyet

An acquaintance of mine left the insurance business and is now a very happy (and good) primary teacher. It doesn't make sense to stay in a career you don't like if there is an alternative. There will be a lot of vacancies in the coming years because of the birth rate.

Plump Jake

notdarkyet wrote: »

An acquaintance of mine left the insurance business and is now a very happy (and good) primary teacher. It doesn't make sense to stay in a career you don't like if there is an alternative. There will be a lot of vacancies in the coming years because of the birth rate.

Yeah that's my thoughts.

TheDriver

Your neighbour probably works in junior only school which has very special provision that most infant teachers dont get. Have u tried teaching to see are u cut out for it???

Plump Jake

purplecow1977 wrote: »

I doubt that.

Infant teachers are required to stay for the full day, and the earliest he/she would be allowed to finish would be 2.30, presuming a school starts at 8.50am.

The last 2 weeks I have been at work from 9am - 4.45pm and generally done another hour or 2 at home. Trying to motivate myself to now start collecting the 2 bundles of copies I brought home, amongst other things, so I can free myself up a bit next week.

Your Junior Infant teacher friend HAS to prepare work and do plans outside of those hours, it's not possible to have everythingn organised otherwise. I know plenty of teachers who arrive on the dot and leave on the dot but I know they do plenty at home.

Most of the heavy lift of plans etc is obviously for the first year or two an then can be leveraged for the future.

Moody_mona

Plump Jake wrote: »

Most of the heavy lift of plans etc is obviously for the first year or two an then can be leveraged for the future.

Not true. No two students are the same. Teaching is certainly not the easy way out you seem to be looking for. And you'll never have savings of 200 grand again.

purplecow1977

Plump Jake wrote: »

Most of the heavy lift of plans etc is obviously for the first year or two an then can be leveraged for the future.

Not exactly.

Although if you have the same class level, it can be easily adapted year to year.

I've taught the same level 3 times in a row and always tweaked things and researched different lessons or ways of doing things etc.

This year I've a new class level so still finding my feet!

I think Plump Jack has a certain perception of teaching profession and I think he's in for a serious wake up call.

Savings of 200,000? One can dream!

Plump Jake

Moody_mona wrote: »

Not true. No two students are the same. Teaching is certainly not the easy way out you seem to be looking for. And you'll never have savings of 200 grand again.

I am past having money worries at this stage. Time is more important to me.

Moody_mona

I love teaching, there's a lot more to the job that I don't like, but I love teaching my subjects. If that's what you want to do, go for it, just make sure your eyes are open.

Moody_mona

Plump Jake wrote: »

I am past having money worries at this stage. Time is more important to me.

Then just be aware that time doesn't end at the hours spent in front of a class.

spurious

I think the original query has been asked and asnwered many times on this forum. Please search before starting new threads.

As to lots of opportunities due to rising birthrate, jobs have to be found for the hundreds of excess teachers being trained every year.

I would imagine BBS covers supply and demand. For way too many years now supply of teachers has exceeded demand by many multiples. Class sizes have grown, supports have been withdrawn, wages have been cut, hours have been lengthened, workload has been added to.

We'll leave it there I think. I'm a tiny bit suspicious of the recent 'I want a job where you have great holidays and do nothing much' type of posts in recent weeks. Thread closed.