Helping retain the region’s skills

New teacher training courses being delivered by Teesside University are helping to ensure that vital skills crucial to the economic growth of the Tees Valley are retained within the region.

The new Teesside University Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programmes have been designed and delivered in partnership with local schools and colleges to ensure there is a pipeline of talent available to employers looking to grow and capitalise on recent investment in the region.

The secondary-level ITT courses are being delivered by the University’s School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law and form part of its socio-economic impact campus initiative which is helping to develop the skills and capabilities to ensure that the Government’s Levelling Up agenda is a success in the Tees Valley.

Teesside University, which was recently named as Times and Sunday Times University of the Year for Social Inclusion, has a proud of history of working with traditionally underrepresented groups to help them achieve their potential. It will utilise this experience as it delivers the nine ITT courses which are now recruiting for entry in 2022.

Sara Davidson, Principal Lecturer (Initial Teacher Education) in the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law, said: “All of our teacher training has been specifically tailored to the local context.

“There are some fantastic schools and colleges in this region which are doing amazing things and we have worked extremely closely with local education partners to ensure that we are able to match their needs as we train their future staff.

“We want to ensure that they are able to keep up this excellent work and strengthen their capabilities with motivated and committed teachers.”

Professor Paul Crawshaw, Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law, added: “There has been a great deal of news in recent months about the investment that is coming to the Tees Valley.

“We are helping to match this ambition by developing the region’s skills capabilities to ensure that it is young people from this region who are able to take advantage of these opportunities.

“This is a fantastic place to live and work and young people no longer feel that they need to leave this region in order to further their ambitions.

“These qualifications will not only provide graduate level entry to professional training for much-needed skilled teachers for this region, but they, in turn, will help to develop capable and talented school leavers to drive the region’s growth.”

One of Teesside University’s ITT partners is Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust (NPCAT), which operates 27 schools across Teesside and North Yorkshire and has around 9,000 pupils.

NPCAT’s senior standards officer Angela White said: “NPCAT is committed to developing a world-class workforce of teachers and other education professionals.

“We’re looking forward to developing our excellent relationship with Teesside University and delighted they will help us continue recruiting and training the most talented candidates to work in our schools.”

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