I wondered if there are any other expats who are qualified teachers in the UK and what jobs they are doing now in NS? I was a primary teacher in the UK, worked part time when I had kids and loved my job. I was aware of the difficulty in obtaining certification here and the lack of teaching jobs before we came (we moved here for hubbies job) and i am at home looking after our little ones at the moment anyhow. I would just be interested to hear what other people are doing as I have no idea what types of jobs I might be able to get when my little one is a little older ... It seems you have to have very specific qualifications for all types of work here!

I'm not in Nova Scotia but I am an ex teacher from the UK

I had no clue what I wanted to do when I moved here other than I didn't want to teach.

I signed up with a temp agency with the idea of seeing different places and seeing what clicked.
My first assignment was in a school !!
doing admin support
I'm still here 5 years on ( albeit in a different role , still not teaching)
you have many transferable skills , you just may not realise it.

We are notvin Nova Scotia but the teacher I work with supplements his income by working retail, he is moving to London this summer as it's too difficult to get a full time teaching job here.

Like most western countries, unless you're a spinster with no children, being a teacher is just a somewhat casual secondary income for a nice middle-class family. That or you could be a nurse, either way its probably just an extension of child rearing.

A pretty sad opinion of the teaching profession and not one I agree with at all, from my experience. I was fortunate enough to work with very deidcated, professional teachers of all ages ... I never worked with a spinster or one who had to suplement their income. Lucky me Everyone is entitled to their opinion though. I will miss teaching but I was aware that it would be a struggle to find a teaching job here. I was hoping to hear from ex-teachers who had found other work in Canada.

Or significant contribution to family income (teachers being rather better paid in Canada than in the UK) and most importantly, that final salary pension scheme & associated health benefits being an important part of retirement planning. Leastways that's what I tell the Mrs. We are a nice middle class family though, you got that bit right.

What an absolutely ridiculous load of tripe.

What does Mrs Oink do for a living?

What a great way to say 'well Oink, you're entitled to your opinion but I'm afraid I must disagree with you actually, because......'

There's no need to jump down somebody's throat just because they have a different opinion to yours.

Please remember Rule 1, and treat other members with respect.

Thx.

I believe she may be a teacher. I have a very good idea of what Oink does for a living too and I'm certain of his part-time hobby job as a wind up merchant par excellence.

I'm of the same belief on both counts.

+1.

My OH has just started the teaching certification process after us being here a year and him failing to find a decent job outside teaching. He is still working in a call centre.

Already experiencing frustrations with the GTC, GTCS, ex employers etc. It's a long haul just to complete the forms and gather the evidence. Then the real fun starts. He will have to do additional education - we anticipate him not being certified for at least a year, maybe two. Then it will be on the supply register. He will have to take weekend work as a back up as I can't support him.

What he can earn in two or three days a week teaching, would be more than he earns full time now. But that is not guaranteed - the call centre work is low income, but is guaranteed and secure.

The decision would be easy if I could support the whole family, but I can't. I am not sure if even when he is certified it is a route we can afford to go down.

If your husband earns enough to support you, you could go through the certification process and go on the supply list, but permanent full time jobs are hard to come by.

Not Nova Scotia but perhaps indicativ e of the general imbalance between supply and demand for teachers in Canada....

Mrs AX is a teacher. (Permanent, tenured). At her school they recently advertised a 5 month Mat Leave position. They had over 200 applicants...

Doesn't surprise me. Although maybe indicative of general employment prospects for half decent jobs.

There are plenty of jobs here for minimum wage or just over and not difficult to get.

I am a legal assistant and advertised posts could get 100 applicants easily, or even more. Fortunately for me, the vacancies come up fairly frequently - not so for teaching posts for my husband, even when he is certified.

I'll report back in a couple of years.