Danielle Agius – Assistant Head Teacher To Author & Adviser

New Career = New Ewe!

16 years, 5 schools, 3 counties; private, mainstream, primary, secondary, preparatory and SEND.  PE specialist, Director of Sport, SLD class teacher and Assistant Head.  In a nutshell, I feel like I’ve experienced a wide-ranging amount in Education.  I have had the pleasure of working with some amazing children and the most incredible staff.  I am proud to say that I have made a positive difference in this profession, which is the key thing that I have focussed on achieving in my career change, outside of the school gates.  

Change usually isn’t easy in any aspect of life.  So, to leave everything I have loved and known for almost two decades wasn’t a decision I made lightly.  After much thought and hours of research, I knew I needed to do something different at this point in my career, and I knew what I wanted that to look like.  

My career change didn’t land on my lap.  It took months to find what I was looking for.  I wanted something that still enabled me to fulfil that natural desire to help others.  I also wanted my new job to continue to offer me the same buzz I got as a teacher, like those lightbulb moments and that feeling you get when you’ve enabled others to make great progress.  Having thoroughly enjoyed supporting staff in all aspects of their professional development, I wanted to experience more of this, but in a role that offered greater flexibility.  After months of searching, I finally found what I had been looking for, so I went for it, showcased all of those fantastic transferable skills we have as teachers, and I got the job!  All that planning, preparation and believing in myself had paid off.  

The first three days of the new role were away from home, training with other new starters.  It was fun and interesting and felt good.  It was only when I got home on the Wednesday evening and realised I was all alone, not really knowing enough of what I had to do, did the nerves kick in!  

So, what did I do?  I decided to write a blog.  I needed to get everything I was feeling, out and onto paper.  At the time, it felt like another new thing to do, a novelty that I could also begin, because I was all about this fresh start.  Looking back, it was my way of validating what I was doing, trying to understand the changes that were taking place, both mentally and physically.

18 months on and I decided to reflect on those initial few months.  The lessons it has taught me have been so powerful.  To see the positive effects my career change has had on me, has reassured me that I made the right decision.  

Fortune favours the brave, and I feel rich with this new work life balance and the opportunities I am experiencing from it.  I’ve even self-published a novella all about my journey.  You can find it here: New Ewe – A Journey Through Career Change 

You can also follow my Instagram page, (new_ewe) for inspirational quotes and useful excerpts from the book.  Either way, I hope my story helps you with your career change and gives you the confidence to become the “New Ewe!”