Can career changers be game changers? Policy, research and practice concerning career changers

Abstract

As individuals increasingly choose to collect a 'portfolio' of careers over their working lives, becoming a teacher is considered to be an attractive career option for many mid-life career changers. At the same time, globalisation and population migration have resulted in an increasing diversity in school students. This chapter argues for the value of career changers in meeting some of the current challenges of the teaching profession and considers this cohort's key characteristics, needs and experiencs as indicated in the literature. Secondly, findings from two research studies are discussed against the backdrop of the phenomenological and interpretive theoretical position taken in the research. Thirdly, the findings about career change student teachers and practising teachers are examined for their implications for initial teacher education policy and practice.