Careers in Education Support
Could a Support Role in Education be right for you?
If you enjoy helping others and want to apply your skills in an educational setting, a support role in education could be the perfect career path for you!
Whether you’re assisting teachers in the classroom, working one-on-one with students or providing administrative help, support roles play a crucial part in the education system.
What Support Roles are available in Education?
Education support roles encompass a range of specialist supporting or non-teaching roles in education, each of which is key to keeping things moving forwards day to day.
Depending on the position, level and responsibilities most will be transferrable from other industries, such as HR, Finance and Marketing. Moving into education to continue in your chosen field can offer a whole new career ladder to climb and a new perspective on your field.
There are also non-teaching support roles such as Learning Support Assistant opportunities available, aiding teachers in the classroom. Formal qualifications are available but not always necessary, a grade C or above in English and Maths is often preferable.
As with teaching roles, all of these positions will most likely be subject to an enhanced DBS check and referencing, to ensure suitability to work in an education environment.
- Here are some common roles you could explore:
- Classroom Support roles such as a Teaching Assistant (TA), Learning Support Assistant (LSA) or Special Educational Needs (SEN) Assistant
- Student Wellbeing roles such as a Pastoral Support Worker, School Counsellor or Behaviour Support Worker
- Administrative Support in areas like HR, Finance and Marketing
- Learning and Curriculum Support roles such as a Learning Mentor, EAL (English as an Additional Language) Support Assistant or Technician
- Facilities Support roles such as a Caretaker/School Site Manager, Catering Assistant or Cleaner
- Plus more!
How to get started
You don’t always need formal teaching qualifications to start in a support role, but many positions benefit from relevant training or experience. Here are a few ways to begin:
Gain
Experience
Before you start, it’s always good to get some experience - whether that's in an education environment or in your career area.
Qualification
Requirements
Some roles may require or benefit from specific qualifications. Check what qualifications you'll need for the role you'd like.
Entry-Level
Positions
Many support roles are entry-level, and schools often provide on-the-job training. Applying for these can be a foot-in-the-door to an education support role.
Specialised
Training
For roles such as SEN support, additional training in special education needs can be valuable.
Real Stories: How others like you made the switch to a Support Role in Education
Hear from candidates we’ve worked with who successfully transitioned into various educational support roles. In these short video testimonials, they discuss how they moved into roles like Teaching Assistants, Learning Support Assistants and administrative positions.
