Recommendations set out to encourage Gen Z to teach

The government should pilot a career break scheme to attract more “generation Z” teachers, Teach First has suggested in a new report.

They said that "to attract Gen Z into the classroom, we need to reframe what a career in teaching might mean to the next generation." The report looked to examine the issue of failing recruitment in the UK, and find ways to encourage the younger generation to become teachers.

Their research found that three quarters of respondents said that teaching was a job that had purpose – the highest of the career options tested. 

Over three fifths of Gen Z would consider working as a teacher, but nearly half (47 per cent) said they would enjoy teaching for a few years, but not their whole career.  

Teach First suggested that more individuals would become teachers if changes were made to the profession that reflect the career priorities of Gen Z. 

These include a good work-life balance, a high long-term salary, the opportunity to learn and develop professionally and career advancement opportunities.

To encourage Gen Z to become teachers, Teach First set out a series of recommendations.

This includes setting up a comprehensive roadmap of the transformations needed to attract Gen Z, the next generation of teachers – including a new system of formal secondments for existing teachers to spend some time out of the classroom in other sectors, before returning with new skills, enthusiasm and energy.  

They also recommended establishing a route to increase teacher and trainee teacher salaries to be in the top third of the graduate salary market by 2030. 

Teach First suggested setting out a flexible working entitlement for every teacher.