Teacher/Tutor- Career Change Advice

Pretzel7491

*Mods, I previously posted this in Work & Jobs but think this might be a better place to get the advice I'm looking for. Please feel free to delete the original post!*

Hi everyone,
I'm stuck in a bit of a rut and looking for some career change advice! Hoping someone can help me out!

I qualified as a Primary School Teacher in 2011 but unfortunately due to a variety of circumstances I was never given the chance to complete my diploma and therefore decided to explore other opportunities after gaining experience in every class level and learning support/resource teaching work as a substitute teacher.

Since qualifying as a teacher I have also done a Postgraduate Certificate in Play Therapy Skills and for the last 5 years I have been working under the Department of Education as a Home Tutor for children with Austism. During my time as a Home Tutor I have gained experience working in both the home and in preschool settings with children with Autism. I have also volunteered with the Special Olympics both during the games in 2010 & 2014 and at club level.

While I really enjoy working with children with Autism and learning difficulties, I find that there is no job security working as a Home Tutor- no holiday pay or sick pay like other teachers and no job permanency.

I'm wondering of anyone has any suggestions/advice given my qualifications and experience as to where I can explore next career wise? I am passionate about working with children with Autism but would also love to work with children with Down's Syndrome and intellectual disabilities as I really enjoyed my time volunteering with the Special Olympics. I am also open to exploring different avenues if any has any ideas?
I'm based in the Clare/Limerick/Galway area.

Thanks in advance for all your help :-)

Make It Real

If I'm hearing you right, you love the current job, but not the lack of security.

Are there options to do the same work, but on a different basis or for a different body?
Same job, different place, in other words. One which gives you more security?


Or to look further afield, what is it about your current role that you love?

Pull it apart and really know it! Now where else could you get some / all of those things? Look really wide in your current sector and even into other sectors. It'll take some research. What would various roles give you? What would you gain or lose compared to your current role? Once you know the "what", you can start reality checking and figuring out the "how".


I'm not well up on this sector, but maybe someone else in it can give you some advice or first hand experience.

Hope this helps and let me know if I can do anything else for you!

Pretzel7491

Hi,

Thanks very much for your reply..I really appreciate your input and you make some really valid points.

Yeah you'd be correct in saying that the job security is the issue! I love my work and the satisfaction it brings. In general I enjoy helping people so perhaps I need to look into it from a different angle..just figuring out what that angle is will be my next challenge!

You dont say why you didn't do your dip. If you're qualified as a primary school teacher it ticks lots of those boxes so I'd do that. You didnt say you didnt like it so I would look at going back to that and would address the lack of stability.

Make It Real

Pretzel7491 wrote: »

...In general I enjoy helping people so perhaps I need to look into it from a different angle..just figuring out what that angle is will be my next challenge!

Here are some free angles to get you started:

- If you could 'try on' any job for just one day, what would it be?

- Quick! What would be your ultimate dream job? And ultimate nightmare job?

- Step outside your body and be your best friend. What jobs would he / she suggest to you as a good fit?

- Tell me as many jobs involving "helping people" as you can. Keep going!

- Think of 3 non-work related things you love doing. Now see if you can identify any person "helps people" in those areas. You may need to think wide and loose!

- Take one or two people you admire professionally. If you could mix the best of their jobs with helping people, what would the "offspring" job be like?

- Imagine you had say 2 years to earn a secure €X salary (you fill in figure) from your current skillset / situation or <something really bad would happen - again, fill it in!>.
What would be your ideas on how to achieve it.


Hope those angles are of some use...none are 90 degrees!

When you throw it really wide, look from different angles - even if crazy - sometimes great stuff comes.

Pretzel7491

Hi julie101 ,
Thanks for your response. Going back to the classroom is not something I'm interested in doing and therefore want to explore different options. I'd rather not go into why my dip was never completed as it's too upsetting but I do know that I want stay clear of schools as much as possible at least as the role of a teacher.

Pretzel7491

Make It Real,

Wow thanks so much for all your guidance! I'll have to think about all those points and come back to you!