Braided careers: a potential solution to computing teacher shortages

The Challenge

The computer science (CS) teacher shortage in England is a significant challenge. This is affecting the quality and availability of CS education in schools. Computing teacher numbers have reduced by 28%, falling from 11,748 in 2010 to 8,435 in 2022. Many schools have teachers who handle multiple subjects instead of having a specialist just for computing. According to the Department for Education (DfE), some 3,000 additional ‘ICT-specialist’ teachers are required to teach the hours of lessons that are currently taught by non-specialist teachers. 

Only 30% of the CS teacher recruitment target was achieved in 2022/23. Keeping these teachers is hard too. In 2020, 8.1% of Computer Science teachers left the profession. One of the largest issues when trying to recruit people into computing education is the salary.  A new CS graduate entering a graduate recruitment scheme will be paid between £30,000 and £45,000, with opportunities to earn even more down the line.

In comparison entering teacher training to teach CS will net a £29,000 bursary, £9,000 of which is paid to the training organisation in fees.  Leaving a difference in the first year of at least £10,000.  

If we then look at the following year our graduate in industry can be looking at anywhere from £45,000 upwards and in many cases significantly more.  Our newly qualified teacher would normally start on the teacher pay scale at £30,000.   If our trainee has come from industry with years of experience this difference is exacerbated since they are usually earning double this. It can take up to 10 years for a teacher to reach the highest pay of around £49,000!

This pay gap discourages young people from choosing teaching. Plus, the societally perception of “low value” of the teaching profession in this country, makes recruitment a very difficult proposition. Overall, the shortfall in computer science teachers is bad for students. It limits their chances to learn the tech skills they need and hampers efforts to develop a diverse tech workforce.

The Opportunity

One potential solution to this problem is to encourage schools, the Department for Education (DfE) and industry to consider braided/blended careers.  A computer science graduate could work in a job that pays well while also training to teach (either via a government funded or industry driven scheme). They could work part-time in a school, balancing both jobs.

It is anticipated that this would be either 1 or 2 days per week in school after qualifying to teach and a scheme is conceived whereby the main employer is compensated for the time they are in school by either government or school, OR they are released to be employed by both the original employer and the school.

The idea is for them to spend one or two days a week teaching after they qualify, while their main employer gets some compensation through the Growth and Skills Levy. This setup could help teachers stay connected to the industry while helping students.

Benefits

1. Retention – One of the largest problems with teacher retention is the accountability pressure and workload in schools.  Full-time teachers face heightened pressure due to the potential career consequences of failing to meet performance expectations, leading to increased stress levels. Becoming part time reduces this pressure and improves retention.
2. Wellbeing– less stressed and burnt out staff will have less time off sick meaning students will have a better experience. Teachers will have better support through both school and industry.
3. Salary – By working in both industry and teaching, staff could earn more. Whether the company or DfE take a hit on the difference between their normal salary and teaching salary or the individual is expected to is a point for future consideration. Even the worst case scenario leaves the teacher on a significantly higher salary than current situation.
4. Expertise – Students would benefit from teachers who are up-to-date in the tech field. They could give both real-life context on the material delivered and guidance on the potential paths into a career in computing. Students would also benefit from role model and enjoy learning the subject.
5. Variety – Teaching can feel repetitive sometimes. Having another job could bring fresh perspectives and help teachers stay engaged. This should help increase retention.
6. Industry links – Many companies are actively trying to connect with the education sector for a variety of reasons.  Deploying staff within schools would provide a direct channel for collaboration, benefiting both the company and the school.

However, there are some challenges. A part-time teacher might not be as involved in school activities. Schools often rely on teachers to put in extra effort, which could be an issue if they have other jobs. Planning schedules can also be tricky with part-time staff.

Limitations

1. Potential reduced commitment: Educators with split professional focus may have limited capacity for full engagement in school activities and initiatives. Some schools rely on the commitment of teachers to ‘go the extra mile’ and this is less likely with someone with another job.  A good example of this is parents evenings on a night that they are at their other job.
2. Timetabling complexity: Accommodating part-time teaching schedules may increase administrative workload and require more intricate planning. Timetabling can be considerably harder in school with a part time workforce (but not impossible).
3. Shifting expectations: Having the experience outside teaching will make staff less tolerant of unacceptable behaviours be they unrealistic targets or working conditions.
4. Management adaptations: School leadership teams may need to adjust their approach to align with expectations common in other professional sectors.

Overall the benefits significantly outweigh the limitations.  As of last year almost 46% of all computing lessons were taught by a non-specialist without the subject knowledge or love of the subject to inspire and help students learn. More specialist teachers would have a significant impact on students for a modest cost in time and effort to schools.

Recommendations

Given that the benefits significantly outweigh the limitations, the key question becomes how to transform this vision into reality. Making braided careers work for CS teachers requires careful planning and collaboration between multiple stakeholders. Here are key recommendations to move this initiative forward:

1. Pilot Program: Implement a small-scale pilot to assess the practical challenges and benefits of this approach. 
2. Comprehensive Training: Develop a training program specially to help industry professionals transition effectively into braided teaching roles rather than the current teacher training pathway.
3. Flexible Scheduling: Explore innovative scheduling models that can accommodate part-time teachers without disrupting the overall school timetable.
4. Long-term Impact Study: Conduct research on the long-term effects of this model on student outcomes, teacher retention, and overall education quality.
5. Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with teachers’ unions, school administrators, and industry partners to address potential concerns and refine the model.
6. Funding Model: Develop a sustainable funding model that balances the costs between government, industry, and educational institutions.

The potential of braided careers isn’t just theoretical—it’s already showing promising results in practice. Currently, I teach Computer Science GCSE two days a week to Year 11 girls at Parliament Hill School, a state school in Camden. This arrangement was made possible by an innovative headteacher, Sarah Creasey, who faced the all-too-common challenge of finding qualified CS teachers. Rather than leaving students without specialist computer science instruction, she developed a creative solution: pairing me, an industry professional, with Rachel Urquhart, a humanities teacher, who undertook National Centre for Computing Education training to co-teach the subject. While I cover programming, algorithms, networks, and databases, my co-teacher handles other curriculum topics of computer systems, data representation, ethical, environmental and legal issues.

This real-world implementation demonstrates both the feasibility and benefits of braided careers. Not only are students receiving specialist instruction in technical topics, but I’m gaining valuable teaching experience through inset training and co-teaching, learning about behaviour management and inclusive pedagogy. This kind of arrangement shows how schools can leverage industry expertise while maintaining educational quality—proving that with creative thinking and bold leadership, the braided career model can work in practice.

In conclusion, the CS teacher shortage in England isn’t just a staffing problem—it’s a critical challenge that affects our ability to prepare the next generation for an increasingly digital world. Braided careers offer a pragmatic solution that bridges the gap between industry and education, addressing both the quantity and quality of CS teaching in our schools. While the path to implementation requires careful navigation, the potential rewards—better-prepared students, more fulfilled teachers, and stronger industry-education connections—make it worth pursuing. For schools, industry leaders, and policymakers reading this: the framework is here, the need is clear, and the time to act is now. Let’s work together to create a teaching model that serves both our educators and our students, ensuring that quality computer science education isn’t just an aspiration, but a reality for every student in England.