“I do not feel that sheer tiredness that I did when I was finishing a school day.”

Former Early Years Teacher Tina Harrison spent 13 years in the classroom, working as both an Early Years Lead and Forest School Lead, before making the decision to leave teaching. Now a Team Support Administrator at a large national energy company, she's enjoying hybrid working, better sleep, and a workplace culture that genuinely celebrates wellbeing.

Tina's journey wasn't without its challenges - from the emotional ups and downs of supply teaching to standing out among 400 applicants - but she successfully leveraged her transferable skills in organisation and relationship-building to secure her new role. Tina shares her honest insights about what she wishes she'd known earlier, the power of building rapport in interviews, and how she's learning to shed the teaching mindset around urgency and productivity. Despite some initial imposter syndrome, Tina is thriving in her new role and looking forward to what the future holds. 

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Starting your transition earlier to lay the foundations
• Supply teaching as a bridge - and its unexpected challenges
• Pivoting from initial career ideas when they don't align
• Standing out in competitive interview processes
• Teacher transferable skills for thriving in administration roles
• Reframing urgency and letting go of the "it will get done" mindset
• Working through imposter syndrome in a new role
• Company cultures that prioritise mental health and wellbeing
• The messy middle - and remembering it's temporary
• Life after teaching: happier for both Tina and her family

Sign up for our FREE webinar 📆 From Classroom to Project Management to discover how your teaching skills translate directly into PM roles ✨

Thinking about leaving teaching? Sign up for our new free webinar 💛 Leaving teaching in 2026 for your roadmap to leaving the classroom next year - delivered straight to your inbox on 27th December.

"Life is far too short."

Former primary school teacher Emma spent 10 years in the classroom before making the leap to a Programme Officer role at a university. While she knew early on teaching wasn't her "forever career," the decision to leave was still incredibly difficult. After facing rejection in education-adjacent roles, Emma found support through the Adventures After Teaching community, learning to translate her experience and work through the grief of "if I'm not a teacher, then what am I?"

Now enjoying a hybrid work schedule and supportive team environment, she's rediscovered what it means to feel lighter, more present, and aligned with her values.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• The grief of leaving your teacher identity behind
• Dealing with rejection sensitivity
• Breaking the hyperachiever cycle and learning to rest
• Translating teacher skills for Programme Officer roles
• Why the journey might take a little longer than you think (and that's okay)
• The (good!) culture shock of starting a new job outside of teaching
• Enjoying simple freedoms in a new role (toilet breaks and uninterrupted lunch!)
• Finding camaraderie in a supportive team and asking questions without guilt
• Hybrid working and workplace adjustments
• Being present at home and improved work-life balance

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Thinking about leaving teaching? Sign up for our new free webinar 💛 Leaving teaching in 2026 for your roadmap to leaving the classroom next year - delivered straight to your inbox on 27th December.

“It’s the best feeling when you’ve made that decision … it took a weight off my shoulders when I said ‘I’m gonna do this.’”

Former primary school teacher Barbara spent 12 years in the classroom, mostly teaching years five and six alongside middle leadership roles. By her seventh year, some of the excitement that she once had for the classroom had waned, and trying to fix it by changing schools or year groups just wasn't cutting it. Facing burnout and declining health, she made the brave choice to start putting herself and her well-being first. 

Now a Grants Officer at a charity celebrating young people's achievements, Barbara loves her varied role, hybrid working, true control over her schedule, and - best of all - having her evenings back!

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Making the emotionally difficult decision to leave teaching
• The critical importance of foundational work on values and mindset
• Identifying transferable skills as a confidence boost
• Breaking burnout patterns before entering a new role
• The "squiggly journey" to finding the right role
• Navigating first interviews and assessment tasks
• Salary negotiation for teachers used to pay scales
• Daily responsibilities as a grants officer
• Core teaching skills: attention to detail and adaptive communication
• Work-life balance and managing your own timetable

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Thinking about leaving teaching? Sign up for our new free webinar 💛 Leaving teaching in 2026 for your roadmap to leaving the classroom next year - delivered straight to your inbox on 27th December.

"There is light at the end of the tunnel."

Former secondary school French teacher in Scotland, Laura left the profession after five years, having experienced burnout due to staffing crises and increasing workload pressures. As the only consistent staff member in her modern languages department amid post-Brexit staffing shortages, the isolation and pressure eventually led to her being signed off with workplace stress.

Now an Employability Team Leader, Laura is enjoying the freedom and flexibility of her new role, mentoring a team of employment coordinators and working with clients who face barriers to employment. With autonomy over her schedule and a varied day involving travel, meetings, and relationship-building with employers, she's found a sustainable career path that allows her to come home with energy for her personal life rather than feeling like a "zombie."

In this episode, we're talking about:

• Navigating burnout and being signed off work
• The emotional difficulty of job searching while dealing with workplace stress 
• The value of Academy well-being calls and community support
• Separating self-worth from professional output
• Finding roles with movement and client interaction
• Day-to-day life as an Employability Team Leader
• Using LinkedIn for networking
• Regaining work-life balance and personal energy post-teaching 

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Thinking about leaving teaching? Sign up for our new free webinar 💛 Leaving teaching in 2026 for your roadmap to leaving the classroom next year - delivered straight to your inbox on 27th December.

The right role at the right time for the right people.

Two former primary teachers, Emma and Victoria, share their inspiring journey of leaving the classroom together - though they'd never met before! After teaching for 12 years each, they both secured roles as primary curriculum writers for Developing Experts. 

Now they're enjoying creative freedom, collaborative culture, and the chance to use their teaching expertise in exciting new ways - building curricula from scratch, integrating real-world careers education, and finally having the time and headspace to problem-solve away from the high intensity of the classroom. 

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Feeling validated through connection
• The power of community for dealing with rejection
• Career change accountability and motivation
• Translating ‘teacher speak’
• Dealing with the scary bits of career change 
• Securing competitive roles 
• Enjoying a comfortable interview experience 
• Skills for curriculum design 
• Remote work and prioritising mental health
• Being in control of your own day

Links & Resources:

www.jobsafterteaching.co.uk

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Thinking about leaving teaching? Sign up for our new free webinar 💛 Leaving teaching in 2026 for your roadmap to leaving the classroom next year - delivered straight to your inbox on 27th December.

"I've never had so many people literally bending over backwards to support me with anything that I want to do." 

Former secondary science teacher Jen left the profession after 23 years, feeling lonely and lost about what to do next. Initially unsure of her direction and at "rock bottom," she found the community and structure she needed in the Academy.

Now a Project Support Officer in the Civil Service, Jen is working to support various projects - from organising team away days to risk and benefits management. With a 70/30 work structure (70% working in the role, 30% self-development and community contribution), she's enjoying genuine time off, reduced stress levels, and a pace that allows time for thinking rather than constant firefighting.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Feeling lost about what's next
• The value of strong community support
• Discovering project management as a path
• Translating teaching skills into corporate language
• Navigating civil service applications
• Waiting to hear back after interview
• Adjusting to a slower pace of work
• Finding renewed confidence
• Work-life balance transformation
• Helping others through the process

Thinking about leaving teaching? Sign up for our new free webinar 💛 Leaving teaching in 2026 for your roadmap to leaving the classroom next year - delivered straight to your inbox on 27th December.

"If all these people are able to get jobs, I'm able to get a job."

Former teacher Rich had been in the profession for a long time when the stress and lack of sleep began taking a physical toll. Despite working at a school he loved, he knew he needed a break from teaching itself and, after personal life events put things into a new perspective, Rich knew it was time to make the career change he'd been contemplating.

Now an Apprenticeship Coach, Rich is enjoying a transformed work-life balance with increased flexibility and time back in his evenings. He's enjoying supporting degree apprentices through their learning journey, using his teaching and coaching skills in new ways whilst looking forward to future professional development opportunities.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Life events as catalysts for change
• Leaving a profession you love but can no longer sustain
• The Academy as a "stepping stone for transformation"
• Unpacking your professional identity beyond the classroom
• Self-investment and making time for career transition
• Work-life balance and flexible working patterns
• The importance of structure when making a career change
• Community support and seeing others succeed
• Regaining self-belief after teaching

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Thinking about leaving teaching? Sign up for our new free webinar 💛 Leaving teaching in 2026 for your roadmap to leaving the classroom next year - delivered straight to your inbox on 27th December.

"I definitely felt loaded with more tools and belief in myself."

Secondary English teacher and Head of KS3, Camilla left teaching a few years ago, seeking different ways to make an impact outside of the classroom whilst still taking the bits of teaching that she loved with her.

Now a Sustainability Consultant, she's enjoying working across different industries and projects, with growing confidence and increased leadership responsibilities. She's also recently taken on the role of a school governor, and is looking forward to keeping her foot in the door of the education world in a new way.

In this episode, we also talk about:

• Teacher transferable skills
• Shifting pace in a new role
• Building interview confidence
• Your value in the outside world
• Reflecting on your professional identity
• The most exciting parts of Camilla's work
• Tips for teachers wanting to move into consultancy
• The bravery in career pivoting

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Thinking about leaving teaching? Sign up for our new free webinar 💛 Leaving teaching in 2026 for your roadmap to leaving the classroom next year - delivered straight to your inbox on 27th December.

“I just knew that I had to make that change.”

In a supportive school but with her own changing priorities, Primary and Early Years Teacher Georgia was tired of missing out on quality family time and feeling exhausted by the demands of teaching. Leaning into her subject specialism as R.E. Curriculum Lead, she’s found her “dream role” as a Regional Advisor for an education group, providing curriculum programmes and specialist support to schools. 

Now working remotely, Georgia enjoys increased flexibility and a change of pace, time for herself alongside passion for her subject, lunchtime walks and getting to drink a cup of tea whilst it’s still hot! She’s also built her business, Georgia Alice VA, through our Teacher to VA Startup Success programme and is looking forward to balancing freelance work with her part-time role. 

In this episode, we also cover:

• Weighing up your reasons for leaving
• The anxiety of ‘what’s next?’
• Investing in yourself
• Valuable early support, including off-sick cuppas
• Visualising the future you want
• Applying for competitive roles
• ‘Refreshing’ interview experiences
• Onboarding in a new role
• Getting used to a less busy calendar
• Top tips for subject specialist roles 
• Timescales for getting out of teaching

Links:

Teacher to VA Startup Success Programme

Georgia Alice VA

If you're interested in becoming a Virtual Assistant, check out the Teacher to VA Website to find our more about how your AMAZING teacher skills transfer.

Thinking about leaving teaching? Sign up for our new free webinar 💛 Leaving teaching in 2026 for your roadmap to leaving the classroom next year - delivered straight to your inbox on 27th December.

“It’s okay to prioritise yourself sometimes.”

Passionate about supporting emotional wellbeing in both children and adults, Katie was an experienced Headteacher who cared deeply about her students and staff. After realising that she was “giving too much of myself to my school and not enough of myself to my family”, she began to re-evaluate her career direction. 

Now working freelance as an Associate Education Consultant with For The Child, alongside training to be a seasonal yoga teacher and exploring other exciting pursuits, Katie values the time that she took at the start of her career change journey to understand exactly what she wanted. With more time freedom and flexibility, she now enjoys voluntary roles, swimming with her children, riding horses again … and has even signed up to the London Marathon! 

In this episode, we also chat about:

• Experiencing fear at the start of the journey
• Taking time to make a decision 
• Using tools and resources to explore next steps 
• Applying for the right roles
• Putting yourself last as a teacher
• Having an impact in a new way 
• Allowing space for ‘not knowing’
• Building relationships and collaborating with others
• Skills that translate from school to business
• Liberation in not living by school terms

Links:

For The Child website

Katie's LinkedIn

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Join the waitlist for the next cohort of our CPD Accredited PROJECT MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS training for transitioning teachers - starts January 2026! ✨