One of the common reasons why people train to teach is that they want to have some sort of positive impact on young people's lives - they want to make a difference. Of course, that definition of 'making a difference' is wide. It could be social mobility - increasing the life chances of children and young people and leveling the playing field. It could be enhancing a passion for a certain subject - such as the arts or STEM. It could be supporting SEND students navigate the barriers to their learning. The list goes on. Likewise, the definition of careers that 'make a difference' is equally varied. Someone in corporate asset management might 'make a difference' to certain areas of the economy - for instance. A popular store chain might 'make a difference' by occupying an empty unit to encourage people back to the high street. So it is important to think about who you want to make a difference for. We can discuss this in a 1:1 career coaching session further, but below are a few thoughts.
Policy and Government
Perhaps you would like to address some societal issues that you feel strongly about - maybe through research-based practice, informing the public and advising policy makers - whilst holding relevant bodies to account. If so, maybe consider a career in something like a think tank which operates separately from governmental departments. You can find out more about working in think tanks at Smart Thinking.
Or, maybe change careers into the Civil Service and support the elected government implement policies or work directly for an MP.
Charities
Probably a fairly obvious one, but perhaps think about volunteering first to see what kind of role would suit you - whether it is working directly with the service users
or perhaps a more 'behind-the-scenes'' role such as funding, advocacy, marketing/communication and volunteer management. Watch out for more upcoming blogs looking at educational-specific charities. A useful website for finding roles is: https://www.charityjob.co.uk/ or perhaps consider Charity Works' 12 month talent programme.
International Development
Often international charities but also can be from the private sector or even governmental departments. You might be looking at giving humanitarian support and improving living standards across the globe - either reacting to an immediate crisis or managing long-term
projects. It is a highly competitive sector that may require previous volunteering experience and/or a relevant master's degree. You can get a UK-based office job but you might need to be prepared to travel, depending on the the role. Check out https://www.bond.org.uk/ for jobs and career advice.
Social Work
This is a huge area, which I have looked at in my other blog
Public Sector Work - Other Than Teaching
So you might like to consider crossing over into another area of public service. There are a few schemes that support graduates and career changers to move into these areas. For example:
Police Now: a salaried (£24,780 – £31,020) two-year training programme. Either ending up as a Police Constable or Detective (depending on your chosen route) who can earn up to £40,000.
Unlocked: a salaried (£23,000-£30,000) two-year training programme where you work as a prison officer whilst studying for a fully funded MSc in Applied Custodial Leadership. You will be asked to drive change during the programme through writing a policy paper, leading on a project etc.
NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme: is looking to train people to work in leadership positions (mostly non-medical) in areas such as management, policy, HR, finance and data analytics. The starting salary is £25,368 then earning around £40,000 on getting your first NHS role. The length of schemes vary from 2 years to 2.5 years and all offer a funded relevant postgraduate or professional qualification.
Sustainability
Perhaps you're interested in making a difference to the planet? Sustainability or 'Green' careers have increased in number in the last few years and can be found in most sectors. This could mean working for organisations in conservation, energy, construction or consultancy - but also within a range of businesses who want to be 'greener' as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR). The EAUC has some 'meet a member' resources where you can view different career profiles in this area and you can also find some opportunities on websites such as: https://www.greenjobs.co.uk/.
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