Julia Miller

Current role: information and communication technology (ICT) teacher
Previous career: systems developer

Julia entered the teaching profession after a career in technology. “I found myself influenced over a number of years by changing attitudes to computers and the internet. I’d worked with computers for 20 years, and seen the internet develop, along with people’s knowledge of it and other technology.”

For Julia, the challenge had changed: it was no longer enough to introduce digital technology to the older, ‘analogue’ generation. “I found a greater challenge in inspiring and nurturing a sense of wonder in the digital generation of ‘screen-agers’.”

Julia believes that teaching is both an honour and a responsibility. “We provide the springboard to a new future for the digital generation.”

Julia sees teaching as a natural development in her career. She took an academic degree in South Africa, studying English literature and the classics, and started her career in computing as a programmer, then advanced to systems development and training.

When she returned to the UK, Julia attended an open day at a higher education institution to find out about the postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE). She was accepted onto the ICT PGCE due to her many years of experience in the industry.

The PGCE started in September and by Christmas Julia was advised to start looking for a job. “It seemed too soon, but the early success of others spurred us on.”

Julia found that many teaching jobs are advertised in the Times Educational Supplement (TES), but that some schools advertise vacancies on their websites. She found out about her current post from the PGCE course leader.

“I was extremely lucky: I was offered the first post for which I applied, which just happened to be the post I really wanted.”

Now Julia says she loves her job. “For the first time in my life I’m not watching the clock and wishing the hours away. The constant challenge to meet the expectations of children from 11 to 18 makes time fly.”

She describes her school as a learning community: “We’re all learning all the time, and I’ve learnt so much in my five years of teaching. It’s the best decision I have ever made.”