Want to change countless futures, starting with your own? Learn to teach and lead with the Teach First Training Programme. They’re recruiting the next generation of computing teachers in partnership with Amazon Future Engineer.
Last year in the UK, 66% of employers were dissatisfied with the basic IT skills among their workforce. At the same time, only two thirds of computer science teaching vacancies were filled.
This presents a huge challenge. The UK needs school-leavers with rigorous computing principles if the economy is to be competitive. But this high demand is also a brilliant opportunity for anyone considering a career in teaching.
In partnership with Amazon Future Engineer, Teach First’s Training Programme will support the recruitment and training of new secondary school computer science teachers. By joining the programme, you could help disadvantaged children unlock their potential in computing – all while gaining a fully-funded, internationally-recognised teaching and leading qualification.
Not convinced? Here are five reasons to become a computer science teacher.
1. You'll have job security and career progression
The current shortage of computer science teachers means many young people can’t access computing as a subject. In 2017, almost a third of UK pupils didn’t have the option to study it at GCSE, and only 11% of pupils England took the course.
Demand among young learners for the subject is extremely high, and will only continue to grow as these skills become more important for future careers. This means higher job security and more chances of career progression for computer science teachers.
2. You'll help to unlock the skills gap
Research from Amazon Future Engineer last year found the UK needs an additional 38,000 workers with computer science-related skills – including 21,000 computer science graduates – to meet labour demands every year.
Amazon Future Engineer is designed to tackle this problem by providing childhood-to-career support for primary schools, secondary schools and universities. A new generation of qualified computer science teachers will play a key role in ensuring everyone can access computing skills, regardless of their background or start in life.
3. You'll be benefiting the UK economy
The UK economy could lose out on an estimated £33 billion a year by 2030 if it fails to tackle the computing skills shortage.
The opportunity is huge: 2019 was a record-breaking year as growth in the UK tech sector outstripped both US and China, with investments topping £10 billion. Government research also showed that more than a third of Europe’s fastest-growing tech firms are UK-based.
And these opportunities are not limited to London and the South East. Manchester now has one of the most exciting digital tech sectors in the world, achieving a combined turnover of £3.2 billion last year and creating 160,000 new job openings.
4. You can say you played your part in creating the next generation of builders, inventors and innovators
Your pupils will look at some of the most exciting challenges faced by the modern world.
We need the next generation to help with ground-breaking projects such as the Human Genome Project, NASA’s Mars Rover and climate change modelling to name a few. Computing skills will also play a key role in the global response to the coronavirus outbreak.
5. And finally, you'll be driving greater social equality
The number of young people taking computer science is still disproportionate for certain demographics:
- In rural areas, just over 10% of schools offer computing at Key Stage 4 – in towns and cities, more than 30% offer it.
- Pupils on free school meals make up 19% of computing entrants, yet they make up 27% of the population.
- In 2017, only 20% of GCSE candidates in computing were female, which falls to 10% at A-level.
Teachers will play a vital role in addressing that imbalance.
About Amazon Future Engineer / Teach First
Amazon Future Engineer is a childhood-to-career programme to inspire and enable children and young adults from lower-income backgrounds to try computer science.
By joining the Teach First Training Programme, you’ll get:
- A fully-funded Postgraduate Diploma in Education and Leadership (PGDE), worth double the credits of a PGCE.
- A salary while you train.
- The chance to help the children who need you most.
- The opportunity to undertake a two-week paid placement at Amazon (exclusive to trainees teaching computing).
Get your application in by 17 July and you’ll be assessed online over the summer. If successful, you’ll receive a guaranteed offer to teach in one of your top three locations from September 2021.
Join the most important generation of teachers and leaders building a fair education for all.
Find out more about the Training Programme here.