Engineers encouraged to enter teaching profession

Edge Hill University has been chosen to deliver a unique new teacher training programme that has been designed to recruit engineers to the profession.

The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA), the Institute of Physics (IOP) and the Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) have secured some of the country's most high profile universities and leading schools to launch the innovative scheme, which combines physics with mathematics.

Edge Hill is one of 32 universities who will recruit 306 trainees onto new physics with mathematics courses from September 2012.  These courses, on top of the more traditional physics only courses, will mean that all the universities will be aiming to recruit 1,150 physics trainees in total - a record number. 

Physics with maths is a natural combination that appeals to many physics and engineering graduates who have the potential to become teachers in these key shortage subjects. In the past, many of these graduates might have been deterred from physics teaching by the prospect of having to teach biology and chemistry, which is why this programme is important in bridging this gap.

Ben Porter, who is co-ordinating Edge Hill's involvement, said: "I'm delighted that we have been awarded the bid for the delivery of this exciting new ITT programme. It has been designed to offer graduates a route to offering physics and maths, two traditional subjects which are undergoing a renaissance in schools. It is hoped the new scheme will attract those with an engineering background into the teaching profession.

"Those who take up the course really will benefit from high quality training, especially when it comes to looking for jobs in this competitive industry. They will offer another dimension to the teaching workforce and one that potentially supports recruitment across the two key priory subjects."

Trainees will gain work experience in schools, including some of the new teaching schools judged as outstanding at training and developing their staff. This will give trainees the best opportunity for employment when they qualify.

Physics with mathematics trainees with a 2:1 degree or higher, will also have access to the TDA's Premier Plus service, and training bursaries or the IOP's teacher training scholarships, each worth up to £20,000.

Stephen Hillier, Chief Executive of the TDA, said: "It's fantastic that some of the country's best universities and schools are going to be running the new physics with mathematics training courses.  We are confident that their prestigious support and the design of the courses will attract top physics and engineering graduates to train to teach, enabling standards in schools to continue to rise."

For more information about the new programme and entry requirements, visit the website www.edgehill.ac.uk/courses.