Going into teaching was something that had always intrigued me; however, life has a habit of getting in the way. It is not an easy decision to make when you have to consider your family, and the impact of giving up work, to go and train to become a teacher. If you are able to make that move it is an amazing career to get into. It can be scary to think about spending a year training without a wage coming in, but there is a lot of advice and support out there for career changers, including a student loan that you might be eligible for. I am now halfway through my training course and I can honestly say I do not regret my decision to go into teaching. The difference you can make to children’s lives cannot be underestimated and the job is very rewarding. It can be hard and there are times when you feel like you have many things to juggle, especially when you have a family to support. But my mentor, tutor and the course leaders could not be more supportive and understanding. Outside of in school training, I spend time working on assignments, planning lessons and researching areas for self-development. I have to be organised and plan ahead to minimise the impact on work life balance. However as the year progresses I have found that I am able to balance workloads a lot easier as aspects like planning take less time. I am so pleased I picked East of England Teacher Training as I am treated as an individual; they get to know you and will support you in the ways that you need and not just treat you as a number. They are a provider that prides themselves on making sure you become the best teacher you can be. During the training year you spend most of your time in your school placement, which means you become part of your training school staff. The class becomes more and more your own as the year goes on and therefore you are able to go into your NQT year fully prepared. The experience of working in a school full time is fantastic, you become part of an extended family and whilst there may be highs and lows, it’s an experience I would not trade for anything. If you are thinking of going into teaching, whilst it can be tough, it is one of the most rewarding jobs you can do. To be able to make a difference in so many children’s lives, makes it the best job in the world. – John, current trainee (2019-20) All Stories