A PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) is one of the most popular routes to a career in the classroom, enabling you to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) along with hands-on experience in schools and university-based professional development. The PGCE route can be completed in a year and many people choose to do this immediately after completing their undergraduate degree. However, for some people who gain QTS, a long-term career in teaching is not the right option. This can be for a variety of reasons but will often leave you asking; “what else might my PGCE enable me to do, and will it open specific doors further down the line?“

Here we explore a range of other careers outside of teaching in which a PGCE or teaching qualification would be useful.

Careers Advisor

In recent years, many UK schools have improved their careers education. Driven by frameworks such as the Gatsby Benchmarks, schools and Multi-Academy Trusts (MATs) have been employing in-house Careers Advisors to guide students. Your PGCE would have taught you how to interact professionally with young people, equipped you with questioning techniques, and given you face-to-face experience in a busy school environment. If you trained as a secondary school teacher, you may be at an advantage, as Careers Advisors normally work with pupils aged 13 and above. We have worked with a number of organisations offering career change training for teachers. There are many cross over skills between the 2 professions and the great news is you will still be supporting the next generation of workers.

Starting Salary £28,000

Potential Salary £40,000+ for management positions

Training Postgraduate Diploma/Masters in Career Development, which incorporates the CDI-awarded Qualification in Career Development or on the job training through completion of a QCF Level 4 Diploma in Career Information and Advice – for those providing careers information and advice, but not guidance or a QCF Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development – for those providing careers guidance and development.

Educational Psychologist

During your PGCE, you may have developed an interest in supporting SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) students or those struggling to access learning. Many teachers transition into Educational Psychology, combining classroom expertise with additional postgraduate study. The role involves observations, questionnaires, and working with external agencies. Your PGCE would have introduced you to many of these agencies and you would have developed important behaviour management and strategy design skills. There is a structured route to becoming an EdPsych. You will need to complete a 3 year DEdPsych Doctorate in Education Psychology and if you do not have an undergraduate degree in Psychology then it is likely that you will need to complete an MSc conversion course. Having said this your experience of working in an education setting may well work in your favour when applying for a funded DEdPsych programme and although further training is required very experienced Education Psychologists can earn very high salaries. 

Starting Salary £29,872

Potential Salary £86,587

Training Visit British Psychological Society for further guidance

Community Education Officer

If your passion lies in supporting underrepresented communities or working in areas with high levels of deprivation, a career as a Community Education Officer may align perfectly with your values. This type of role, often within charities or local authorities, focuses on literacy, numeracy, ICT skills, as well as life skills training. Your PGCE will have developed your ICT competence and given you experience with PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education), all valuable in community programmes. Building relationships is central to this role, and your experience of working with disadvantaged students during your PGCE will be a huge asset.

Starting Salary £23,500

Potential Salary £32,000 with higher salaries for management positions in charities

Museum Education Officer

A Museum Education Officer role allows you to create engaging learning experiences for visitors while drawing on niche subject expertise. Your PGCE would have trained you to design lessons for diverse learners, skills that easily transfer to museum and gallery education programmes. You may lead school groups, manage outreach projects, or deliver community engagement initiatives. For more details about opportunities in this sector, visit the Museums Association or our own job board. Safeguarding knowledge and experience of running school trips will also serve you well. This sector is competitive, but teachers with QTS often have an advantage because of their classroom and curriculum knowledge.

Starting Salary £19,000

Potential Salary £42,000 + for strategic roles and higher salaries for those working at larger museums and galleries.

Social Worker

Perhaps during your PGCE you became particularly interested in supporting pupils with emotional challenges or mental health needs. With safeguarding and Emotional Literacy Support now central to school life, some teachers find that careers in counselling or social work are a natural next step. Programmes such as Frontline, a leading UK social work training provider, actively encourage applications from teachers because of the crossover in skills. Further qualifications will be required, but the experience of working closely with children, parents, and multi-agency teams during your PGCE will strengthen your application.

Starting Salary £18,000 on Frontlines Training Programme

Potential Salary £50,056 +

Training

Private Tutor

The demand for private tutoring in the UK continues to grow, especially in core subjects and exam preparation. Your PGCE will have sharpened your subject knowledge and may have given you hands-on experience with GCSE and A-level assessment objectives, marking criteria, and exam board standards. If one of your placements was in a grammar or independent context you may have gleaned useful insights to the 11+ or entrance exams that could prove invaluable for niche tutoring. Equally if you trained in the primary sector you will have picked up knowledge of Standard Assessment Tests (SATS). Unlike many undergraduate tutors, you will also bring proven experience of working with young people and designing differentiated learning. Many teachers with QTS go on to establish highly successful tutoring businesses. If you’re unsure where to start, our Tutor Pay Calculator can help you set competitive rates whilst allowing you to consider your actual take home pay.

Average Pay £30 – £50 per hour

Overall the year that you have spent in the education system can work in your favour when it comes to a range of exciting careers all of which still have nurturing, supporting and helping people at their heart. The skills you would have cultivated are hugely transferrable and the resilience you have demonstrated in completing a very demanding training course will certainly give you a unique differentiator when it comes to pivoting into a new role.