Most commonly reported Work Activities

•   Organising, Planning, and Prioritising Work Developing specific goals and plans to prioritise, organise, and accomplish your work.
•   Thinking Creatively Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
•   Training and Teaching Others Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
•   Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
•   Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
•   Developing Objectives and Strategies Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
•   Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
•   Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
•   Scheduling Work and Activities Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
•   Coaching and Developing Others Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Working Life

Teachers are required to deliver the curriculum that is agreed at national level by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.  
 
In addition to their classroom teaching, teachers also work with colleagues to plan and deliver programmes such as the Transition Year; to implement the school's pastoral care or student welfare system; to support school development and planning activities and to take part in curriculum innovation. Teachers are also required to communicate regularly with parents on students' educational progress.  
 
All teachers in schools are required to co-operate to implement policies for school discipline, anti-bullying and identifying and responding to child abuse and neglect. They must also keep up to date with new developments in the subject area, new resources and methods.  

 
The work of teachers is challenging and requires teachers to be versatile and flexible. Teachers identify and support students who have learning difficulties or who are otherwise disadvantaged. Each student is different and requires support and encouragement from their teachers to fulfil their potential.  
 
The work can be very rewarding and teachers are providing a valuable service to the community, which can be demanding and pressurised at times but equally rewarding at others.  
 
Schools put in place various programmes and activities to promote the personal and social development of young people. Increasingly, schools work with a range of external agencies such as employers, local partnership and anti-poverty networks, health boards, etc, to ensure that the school is responding to students' needs and the needs of the local community. Many second level schools now provide adult education programmes for the local community including post-leaving certificate courses.  
 
It is possible for second level teachers to branch into more specialised areas such as career guidance, Learning support or special needs teaching, etc.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Prepare materials and classrooms for class activities.
• Instruct through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics, or social studies.
• Establish clear objectives for all lessons, units, and projects and communicate those objectives to students.
• Establish and enforce rules for behavior and procedures for maintaining order among students.
• Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying needs and interests.
• Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
• Observe and evaluate students' performance, behavior, social development, and physical health.
• Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
• Confer with parents or guardians, other teachers, counselors, and administrators to resolve students' behavioral and academic problems.
• Assign and grade class work and homework.

Further Information

• Teacher, second level- from: GradIreland

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

 Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

 Creative

Creative people are drawn to careers and activities that enable them to take responsibility for the design, layout or sensory impact of something (visual, auditory etc). They may be atrracted to the traditional artistic pursuits such as painting, sculpture, singing, or music. Or they may show more interest in design activities, such as architecture, animation, or craft areas, such as pottery and ceramics.

Creative people use their personal understanding of people and the world they live in to guide their work. Creative people like to work in unstructured workplaces, enjoy taking risks and prefer a minimum of routine.

 Enterprising

Enterprising people like situations that involve using resources for personal or corporate economic gain. Such people may have an opportunistic frame of mind, and are drawn to commerce, trade and making deals. Some pursue sales and marketing occupations. Many will eventually end up owning their own business, or in management roles in larger organisations. They tend to be very goal-oriented and work best when focused on a target. Some have an entrepreneurial inclination.

The main pathways to become a teacher is known as initial teacher education (ITE). You can study to be a teacher either by doing an undergraduate degree (concurrent programme) or a two-year postgraduate Professional Master of Education (PME) (consecutive programme). 

TCI image to view the Pathways to Teaching infographic.

Training & Development pathways

FET Further education pathways PLC courses, or diverse access routes like Turn to Teaching Foundation may offer pathways towards being a teacher.

FET College Courses biomedical science (with links to pe teaching), education and teaching, pre-university, foundation teaching, PE teaching and sports studies, pre-primary and post-primary school teaching, pre-university PE teaching, sports studies. at  NFQ levels 5-6 search our FET college courses. 

You can apply to progress on from your FET college course into teaching. Find out more about the Higher Education Links Scheme here. 

Higher Education CAO Applications for undergraduate (ITE) Initial Teaching Education courses can be made through the Central Applications Office (CAO) NFQ level 8 search our CAO coursefinder

The Teaching council of Ireland reviews a full list of accredited ITE Initial Teacher education accredited programmes click here.

In addition to the general entry requirements of the 3rd level institutions, there may be additional entry requirements for particular post primary teaching programmes. Please refer to the individual course entry requirements for your chosen programme for more details.

REGISTRATION CONDITIONS

Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs)

NQTs need to go through a one-year induction programme after they have qualified

NQTs also need to register their qualifications with The Teaching Council - Full details here. 

All new teachers will also need to be Garda vetted, as they are responsible for children.

Post Qualification Employment (PQE)

PQE is a standard condition for all newly qualified second level teachers. 300 hours teaching experience must be completed at a recognised post-primary school or Centre for Education, and verified by the institution principal. At least two-thirds (200 hours) of the hours must be spent teaching a post-primary curricular subject to a class of students within their regular timetable. The other 100 hours may be carried out teaching non-timetable related activities. Newly qualified post-primary teachers have 3 years from the date of registration to complete the PQE.

Irish teaching pathway update: 

5 June, Minister for Education Norma Foley today announced that new contracts have been signed for two Irish-medium teacher education programmes. The programmes will deliver up to 60 places for teacher education through Irish annually, and represent an important measure to increase the supply of teachers for Irish-medium schools both inside and outside of the Gaeltacht.

The two Irish-medium teacher education programmes represent an investment of over €7 million by the Department of Education, and will be delivered by the Marino Institute of Education and Trinity College Dublin.

Marino Institute of Education will continue to deliver the four-year Irish-medium Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) for primary teachers, which commenced in 2019. Trinity College Dublin will commence delivery of a Masters in Irish-Medium and Gaeltacht Education (M.Ed.) for primary and post-primary teachers and principals in September 2023. Both programmes will be delivered through the medium of Irish. For full details click here. 

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €44k - €80k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role. Additional remuneration may be relevant with posts of responsibility and qualifications. 

Data Source(s):
Education.ie/ Asti/ Indeed.ie/ Gov.ie/ TUI

Last Updated: July, 2024

This occupation has been identified as a Job in Demand by the most recent National Skills Bulletin.

Note: The following information relates to occupations that include: Secondary school teachers; deputy head teachers (secondary school).

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment growth was below average for secondary teachers with numbers remaining relatively unchanged since 2020. Enrolments in post primary schools have been in increasing in recent years, with some, but not all, of the most recent increase due to the enrolment of nearly 5,500 Ukrainian pupils in 2022/23; enrolments were expected to decline from 2025, although this may depend on migration patterns (such as the presence of Ukrainian students). Teachers with specific subject combinations remain difficult to source, however.

A 2021 report by the Department of Education noted particular challenges in recruiting teachers of STEM, modern Irish, modern foreign languages and home economics subjects. A recent survey by ASTI on recruitment, retention and supply of teachers highlighted particular difficulties in recruiting teachers for Mathematics and Irish and also signalled that issues such as pay and availability of housing is a significant deterrent for attracting teachers to the sector. The Department of Education has introduced a suite of measures to address teacher demand in priority subjects, including procuring Level 8 programmes to upskill teachers to teach Mathematics, Physics and Spanish as well as a pilot scheme to facilitate teacher sharing between schools.

• Department of Education and Skills

  • Marlborough St, Dublin 1
  • (01) 889 6400
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Public Appointments Service

  • Chapter House, 26/30 Abbey Street Upper, Dublin 1, D01 C7W6
  • (01) 858 7400 or Local: 1890 44 9999
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Irish National Teachers Organisation

  • 35 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
  • (01) 804 7700 / LoCall 1850 708 708
  • Click Here

• Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland

  • ASTI House, Winetavern Street, Dublin 8
  • (01) 604 0160
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland

  • ASTI House, Winetavern Street, Dublin 8
  • (01) 604 0160
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here

• Irish Vocational Education Association

  • Unit 11 Steamboat Quay, Dock Road, Limerick City, Co. Limerick
  • 061 473 839
  • Click Here

• The Teaching Council

  • Block A, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth Co. Kildare
  • (01) 651 7900
  • [email protected]
  • Click Here