From IT and Business Ownerto Maths teacher
Motivations for exploring a career change
The reason I explored a change of career when I did was intensely personal for me. I’d had a great and varied career, but unfortunately my husband died. I had two teenage children, and I realised I couldn’t go back to the career I’d had before.
Becoming a teacher
I didn’t know I wanted to become a teacher. I genuinely never thought I would become one or that I would be any good at it, so it has been a great surprise!
I started working at my local college as an invigilator for exams and found that I really enjoyed the environment, the teenagers and being able to help some of them even if it was in a tiny way.
I didn’t enjoy school myself, so I thought if I could make even just one student’s day a little bit better that was fantastic.
Support from Now Teach
Now Teach has helped me a lot. They know my personal life and circumstances, and whenever I’ve had a challenge or a bumpy patch, or I’ve felt I couldn’t carry on with the training, I’ve had someone to reach out to.
I’ve also been able to sound out career pathways with and learn about things that are unique to teaching; pay structures, progression and how schools actually work - they are unique beasts!
When you have been in industry and are used to certain ways of working it can be quite jarring when you come into education because it’s very different. I have really appreciated someone to run these things by.
Why maths
Maths gives young people confidence. Many students arrive believing they are “not maths people”, when often they simply haven’t yet experienced success in the subject. Helping students build that confidence can genuinely change the way they see themselves and their future options.
Coming from a background in technology and business, I can show students where maths exists in the real world. Running a business involved budgeting, forecasting, analysing data, understanding trends and making decisions based on evidence.
I try to bring those authentic examples into the classroom so students can see that maths is not just something that exists in textbooks, it’s a practical tool that people use every day.
Why career changers should choose STEM
Students are very quick to spot authenticity, and they respond so well when teachers explain not just how something works, but why it matters beyond school.
People coming from industry also bring a different perspective. Many have experience of teamwork, leadership, project management, systems thinking and problem-solving under pressure. Those skills transfer surprisingly well into education and can have an impact far beyond the classroom itself.
For me, teaching has been one of the most meaningful things I have ever done. I know this subject can open doors, because I have lived it myself. That can be particularly powerful for students who may not otherwise see those pathways as open to them.
Where experience counts
A big part of teachers' workloads these days is data and working with IT, which is what I did before. So, I have become something of the go-to person in my department for that. Supporting people with IT, helping them with data things. I love it, so that's definitely a benefit.
Something else from my previous career that has really helped me as a teacher, is the ability to engage with people at all different levels. It’s really useful knowing how to have conversations with senior management and knowing how to deal with awkward situations -the benefit of age and experience is huge.
Teaching moments
I have a tutor group this year. I have known these kids since they started school because I did my training here, so I've known them for a long time. A really nice moment was when a couple of the girls who don't like maths at all, asked if they could move to my tutor group.
It's little things like that that really make it worthwhile, because I think it’s a big honour for someone to say they essentially want to be in your care. I really love those kids; I love tutoring them and I'm really going to miss them when they leave at the end of this year.