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Trainee teacher shortage 'due to falling pay'
News Article Published:
Tuesday, 17 June 2008 Category:
Applications
Fewer university leavers are applying for graduate training schemes in teaching because of a fall in salaries, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) has claimed.
Barry Fawcett, head of teachers pay at the NUT, said a decrease in the number of PGCE applicants was "an understandable response to below inflation awards for teachers since 2004".
He said: "The pay is becoming less and less competitive with competing occupations and those problems will continue as long as teachers pay continues to lag behind."
"It's not just a case of starting salaries for teachers pay falling behind, it's also the fact that the career progression, the salaries that you can expect to earn as you go through your chosen occupation, those later levels of salary are lower in teaching."
Education Data Surveys figures released in February indicated that there had been a decline in the number of graduates wishing to enter the teaching profession.
In Physics, 30 per cent fewer applications were received; with reductions of 15 per cent in English 16 per cent in ICT and 14 per cent in Geography were also seen.
