Career change · 6 min read
How do I change career into teaching?
How to become a teacher as a career changer in England and the US: training routes, bursaries, starting pay, and how to test the classroom first.
The short answer
In England, career changers with a degree usually train through a one-year postgraduate route leading to qualified teacher status (QTS), either university-led with a PGCE or school-led, and some routes pay a salary while you train. Bursaries and scholarships are available in shortage subjects such as physics, chemistry, maths and computing. Teachers in England outside London start on about £34,000 from September 2026. In the US, most states offer alternative certification for degree holders, often letting you teach on a provisional licence while you train. Before applying, spend time in a classroom: it's the best test of whether the job suits you.
Key takeaways
- England: a one-year postgraduate route to QTS; some routes are salaried.
- Shortage subjects attract bursaries or scholarships, so check current amounts.
- Starting pay in England outside London is about £34,000 from September 2026.
- US states offer alternative certification for career changers with degrees.
On this pageRoutes into teaching in England
Routes into teaching in England
| Route | Length | Paid? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-led PGCE with QTS | About one year full-time | No salary; bursary in some subjects | Those who want academic grounding |
| School-led training | About one year | Some routes salaried | Those who want to learn mostly in school |
| Teach First | Two-year programme | Salaried | Graduates who want to teach in disadvantaged schools |
| Assessment only | Up to 12 weeks | You're already employed | Experienced unqualified teachers |
Routes in the US
Each state sets its own rules. Most have alternative certification programmes for people with a bachelor's degree: you pass subject tests, complete training, and often start teaching on a provisional licence with a mentor. Shortage areas such as special education, STEM and bilingual education often have faster routes and incentives. Your state's education department lists the approved programmes.
What changers find hardest
- Behaviour management, especially in the first year.
- Workload: planning, marking and data outside lesson time.
- Being a beginner again after being expert in a previous job.
- Less control over your time: the timetable decides your day.
What changers bring
Career changers often bring real-world examples, maturity with difficult conversations, and experience of managing people and deadlines. A former engineer who can show what maths is for, or a former nurse teaching biology, gives students something textbooks can't. Many schools actively seek people with industry experience in technical subjects.
Test it before you apply
- Arrange school experience: in England, the Get School Experience service links you with schools.
- Volunteer with a youth group, tutoring scheme or homework club.
- Teach a short session on your subject to a group and notice how it feels.
- Talk to two teachers who changed career, about their first year.
Illustrative example: Rachel, 42, a chemical engineer, spends three days in a secondary school science department. She enjoys explaining but finds the noise in one lesson hard. She tutors two evenings a week for a term to build confidence, then applies for a salaried route in chemistry with a scholarship.
What happens to the gaps
Most posts ask for something your CV doesn't show yet. OffLadder CV names those gaps, and Laddie, our AI coach, turns each one into three steps:
- Learn the skill: a short lesson on what the post asks for, starting from the basics.
- Try the work: a 15-minute task taken from the job itself, so you have a real example to talk about.
- Practise the interview: a five-question mock interview for that role, weighted to the parts you're least sure of.
The conversation stays in your OffLadder account. Once you've done the work, add it to your CV in your own words, and the next post you tailor for can point to it.
Questions people ask
- Can I become a teacher without a teaching degree?
- Yes. In England you need a degree in any subject, plus a GCSE grade 4 or equivalent in English and maths (and science for primary), then a postgraduate teacher training course. In the US, most states have alternative certification routes for people with a bachelor's degree in another field.
- Is it too late to become a teacher at 40 or 50?
- No. Schools value career changers for their subject knowledge and life experience, especially in maths, science, computing and technical subjects. The training year is intense, so plan for energy and money as well as interest.
- How much do teachers earn?
- In England, the main pay range outside London runs from about £34,000 to £47,000 from September 2026, with higher bands in London and for leadership roles. In the US, pay varies widely by state and district, so check local district salary schedules.
- Can I train to teach while working?
- Some part-time and salaried routes make this possible. In England, salaried school-led routes and teacher degree apprenticeships pay you while you train. Many US alternative certification programmes let you teach on a provisional licence while completing coursework.
- Why do some career changers leave teaching?
- Common reasons are workload, behaviour management and the emotional demands of the job. Spending time in schools before applying, choosing a supportive school, and asking about workload policies at interview all reduce the risk.
- Do I need a degree in the subject I want to teach?
- Not always. In England, if your degree doesn't closely match the subject, a subject knowledge enhancement course can bridge the gap before training, often funded in shortage subjects. In the US, you usually need to pass a subject exam for your state, and some subjects require a set number of college credits.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Get Into Teaching · Department for Education
- High school teachers · US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Explore careers · National Careers Service
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.