Nearly two thirds of UK education professionals say they expect to switch careers within the next five years, according to a new survey.
Of those expecting to change job roles, 38 per cent identify changing personal interests as the main reason for the switch, with 21 per cent point to the need for higher income and 19 per cent cite the need for improved work-life balance.
The survey, by international recruitment company Kelly Services, suggests that the notion of education as a career for life may be disappearing, and it reflects wider changes in the UK and global workforces across a wide range of industries and professions.
Dominic Graham, Kelly’s Head of Professional and Technical Services, argues that we are witnessing a generational shift in attitudes towards career stability. While previous generations might typically have viewed a change of career as something of a crisis, today it is seen as a “reflection of shifts in demand for different skills and occupations, as well as changing personal interests on the part of employees” he says.
The survey also reveals that 59 per cent of professionals in education say they aspire to an executive position. Of the 34 per cent who say they do not seek such a position, concerns about work-life balance (35 per cent) and pressure and stress (30 per cent) are cited as their main reasons.
