In brief
Jobs in the education sector vary from teaching and training, to roles in finance, HR, and management.
Work in the sector is often seen as fulfilling, as you can witness the impact of your own skills and enthusiasm on your students. However, particularly for newly qualified teachers (NQTs) – the hours can be long, including lots of planning and preparation time.
There is currently high demand for teachers, particularly in secondary mathematics, science and languages, with opportunities for career development. The breadth of skills gained through teaching are also valued by employers in many industries.
Where can you work?
- Schools and colleges –there are 450,000+ teachers across primary (4-11 year olds), secondary (11-18) and adult education (16+) in the UK. Primary school teachers cover all national curriculum subjects, whereas secondary school teachers usually have one main area of focus. The UK has both state-funded and privately-funded institutions.
- Universities – as well as academic research and teaching, there are many roles in higher education, including student support, business development, and organisational leadership. In the UK, universities support more than 940,000 jobs.
- Consulting and policy – someconsultancies operate across the education sector, advising clients on strategy and management in response to institutional and policy changes. Education is a key policy issue in the UK and internationally, making it a focus for research organisations and think tanks.
- Other areas– the education sector has numerous roles beyond teaching - see Roles and Functions for an introduction. Teaching English abroad is also an option.
What’s changing in the sector?
Technology is disrupting education, providing new ways to teach, support, and learn. 1,200 ‘edtech’ companies are currently based in the UK, ranging from online course providers and virtual learning environments, to revision apps and AI teaching assistants. This is a global trend.
Brexit is also likely to impact on higher education and research in the UK and Europe.
Useful Websites
CareerHub – jobs board targeting LSE students, including events and networking opportunities.
Access the Prospects overview of Jobs in education
Read the Department for Education’s Get into Teaching guide
Search for jobs at:
- Target Jobs: Teaching – relevant graduate jobs, training schemes and placements
- Jobs.ac.uk – education and academic job site
- FE Jobs – job site for further education
- ESL Base – English language jobs and courses across various continents.
Use the AGCAS Education Alternatives Guide to investigate alternative roles in education, and teaching in alternative settings.
Times Higher Education (THE) – a useful resource for keeping up-to-date with issues and developments in HE.