Advice on art teaching jobs?

Talula123

I have been working towards becoming an art teacher for about 6 or 7 years now, when I first started out the only requirements where an ordinary level 7 degree in fine art and a 1 year hdip. By the time I reached my 3rd year of fine art you had to have the 4th year level 8, by the time i finished my 4th year the hdip was made into a two year course. Before this I could have all fees paid for my hdip including getting the btea but that was changed to having to be unemployed and getting social welfare for a year before you would get fees paid, so iv been taking a year out, now you have to be on social welfare for 18 months in order to get all fees paid.
Financially I cant cover the fees even with the contribution help from the government. Its all or nothing.
Im beginning to lose hope, its like the closer I get to my goal another obstacle gets thrown in my way. Iv been voluntarily working on and off in a special needs school for the past 7 years and have received and excellent reference from the school principle, iv even set up my own art classes for kids and teenagers and for what? unemployment? I hear the jobs for art teachers are non existent. Should I just change direction now before I put in another 2 years of training? Maybe its not meant to be?

poster2525

If you have a teaching council number you can apply for jobs in the ETBs teaching night classes, part-time courses etc. It takes a good number of weeks for your TC number to be approved, so apply sooner rather than later! (It will cost you, but shouldn't be too much if your degree is from an Irish college)

You should also take a look at Springboard. They have free 3rd level courses that you will be able to access now or in the near future. There probably won't be anything in art, but you might see something that interests you e.g. IT or Entrepreneurship.

Good luck