NHS Jobs For Ex-Teachers
Nowadays, it’s far more common than it used to be for people to change careers. With more being demanded of workers in almost every job role, it’s not surprising that 50% of British workers expect to make a career change in the next 2 years.
Having worked as a teacher, you’ll have a wealth of transferable skills for your next job. When applying for jobs in the NHS for ex-teachers, it’s in your best interest to know how to emphasise transferable skills.
As a teacher, you’ll most likely have taught a range of different subjects at varying levels within the school system. Certain NHS jobs for former teachers may be a better fit for you than others, so it would be useful to do some research before applying.
Regarding salaries, the majority of education and training jobs in the NHS are covered by Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales.
Jobs in the NHS for Ex-Teachers
We’ve compiled a list of a number of NHS jobs for former teachers to give you an idea of what’s out there. New jobs are constantly appearing so keep an eye out for job postings.
1. Education and Training Roles
Perhaps one of the most comparable jobs in the NHS for ex-teachers would be in education and training roles.
You would be responsible for training and educating hospital staff in health informatics. Your objective is to make sure staff know how to use the latest technology so that they can best care for patients.
Job titles include training administrator, trainer and training manager. Entry requirements for education and training roles ask for GCSEs or equivalent qualifications, so candidates with experience in a teaching role will have an advantage.
2. Occupational Therapy Support Worker
The role of an occupational therapy (OT) support worker is to help people who have difficulty with day-to-day activities. Their aim is to help their patients to live a full and independent life.
For example, it’s common to help
- people who have recently had surgery and need help adapting to life
- people who have suffered from a stroke
- children with disabilities take part in school and activities
- people who suffer from mental illness get involved in working or volunteering
There are no set entry requirements, nevertheless, the transferable skills from teaching will be of great benefit. Some employers may ask for certain qualifications which, if you’ve worked as a teacher, you’ll already have.
3. Health Trainer
A health trainer supports and motivates people to make healthy behaviour changes. Their aim is to engage with people in order to help them lead healthier lifestyles, such as quitting smoking, introducing regular exercise into their day-to-day lives, cutting down on alcohol intake, etc. They support individuals within their community who want to improve their current situation by creating personalised health plans.
Training is necessary and, depending on the employer, you may be able to train without any previous qualifications. Information about the different qualifications can be found on the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) website.
4. Receptionist
Receptionists are often thought of as the face of a company as they are generally the first person customers or patients interact with when they enter the premises. Strong customer service and organisation skills are a must. Receptionists deal with patient queries, book appointments, and enter patient information onto IT systems. They also deal with queries and appointments by phone as well as other administrative tasks like filing, photocopying, data entry, and word processing.
Teachers can easily transfer to a receptionist role as there are no set entry requirements. However, it would be important to possess good literacy, numeracy and IT skills as well as excellent customer service skills.
Finding Jobs in the NHS for Ex-Teachers
Changing careers can be daunting but when you know what to expect, it gets easier. There’s no shortage of jobs in the NHS for ex-teachers. Highlighting your transferable skills will put you in a good position with prospective employers. Remember to keep an eye on our live job board for NHS jobs for former teachers in your area.
