Jen, I work in local government and one of my staff was a police officer in the UK, and then again when he migrated to WA. He's now working in crime prevention and community safety and loves it - might be worth a look? Good luck - just the hands on teaching alone would wear me out, let alone any extra work!

I thought you were going into customs/border security stuff?

Public servant. It's getting harder to leave work at work. With leave loading you still won't get near the holidays.

If you're on a salary package, you don't even get leave loading But a lot of larger local governments allow you to purchase additional annual leave, up to 4 weeks extra in mine - it's deducted from your pay fortnightly, sort of like a leave lay-by. There's always the disclaimer that taking an extended period of annual leave can't be too disruptive to the business area (cue for make sure you give staff plenty of professional development opportunities so they can step into your role if they want to)

Almost teaching levels of holiday

I kind of feel the same way. I have worked in the Uni sector for 9 years and have wanted to get out for 5 years. I even got a Masters degree in Transport Planning. But, of course no employer cares about your qualifications they only want relevant work experience.

So my advice is don't look at doing something wildly different to what you are doing now because it is highly unlikely an employer would even look at you.

Until of course you have lots of experience but none of the formal qualifications...


S

I agree with this, mostly. It seems odd that people with MAs and PhDs find it hard to get work (outside of uni sector if that is where they have been), but I think this is because education is not valued much by our culture. In Germany, for example, it is quite common for people in private industry to have PhDs, because education is valued along with experience, but English-speaking cultures have inherited a strong anti-intellectualism because that is basically the opposite to the European way of doing things. I have found many people, even family members, have sneered at my education - "boffin" etc. It will never change.

I would say Supply Teaching too. Was speaking to a teacher on the weekend who's been working in supply and decided to go for a permanent position when offered to her this year. She's regretting it as she had constant work when doing supply, but didn't have to do report writing, marking and all the other "extra" outside of school hours type stuff. She's going back to supply when her contract is up at the end of the year because she's worn out already.

Jen, I've told you a million times now, dressing up as PC P!ssflaps for the hubby at weekends did not make you a part time police officer.

Maybe..........
I can empathise with the OP. I was in adult teaching for 16 years - 10 years in the UK and 6 in Australia. 18 months ago I left teaching and now work in community safety a career which is wildly different. My new employer was specifically looking for life skills.

I love my new new job - 12 hour shifts which roughly equate to 3.2 days a week so plenty of time off and when I leave work I never take work home. My employer recognises my graduate status which means my salary progression is fast tracked. The overtime opportunities are good and if I swop shifts I can easily get 2 x 3 week holidays a year without eating too much into my holiday entitlement.

My only regret is not changing careers earlier. I was 49 when I made the switch.

13 years is quite a lot of teaching experience. Maybe you could find a job with the Education Department, or maybe make a go for the Deputy Principal to Principal career track, which will get you away from the classroom.

Kind of why I suggested the training market. The teaching skills are valid and the area is adjacent - I'd suggest 'customer focus' as an area, which seems virtually missing from the Australian mindset.