According to the first 'Workforce Boredom Index' produced by the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA), administrative workers are particularly fed up. Also bored with their job are manufacturing and sales employees, ranked second and third on the index. And the dynamic image of the marketing/advertising industry does not appear to be holding true, as many are tired of the daily grind.

But teachers have identified themselves as the least bored profession - reinforcing previous research by the TDA, which found that teachers demonstrate high levels of enjoyment, concentration and absorption in their daily tasks.

Training & Development Agency for Schools' Boredom Index

When asked why they find their job interesting, 81 per cent of teachers questioned said it is the challenge of the role, 81 per cent because no two days are the same, and 86 per cent said they enjoy the interaction with people.  Sixty-four per cent also rate the opportunity to use their creativity.

Employees surveyed say they are mainly bored because of the lack of challenge in their jobs (61 per cent), whilst not using their skills or their knowledge makes life tedious for 60 per cent. And boredom through doing the same things every day (50 per cent) is also to blame. 

Half of those employees who are bored have considered changing their profession in the last year, and teaching is the most popular choice - more than one in 10 (12 per cent) identified teaching as their first choice of next career.

Michael Day, executive director at the TDA said:

"These findings demonstrate that one of the chief benefits of teaching is the sheer variety of the job – that no two days are the same. It's never too late to make a career switch, and there are now many ways you can train to teach to match your personal circumstances, as well as new financial support.

"There's a particular need for more people to train to teach maths and science and there are still places available on courses starting this September. I'd encourage graduates who are bored in their jobs, particularly those with maths and science related degrees, to take another look at the day-to-day and financial rewards of a career in teaching."

This news release is issued on behalf of the Training and Development Agency for Schools.

Media enquiries

Mel Garfield or Michael Sheen at Band & Brown Communications.
Tel: 020 7419 7312 / 8616; e-mail: mel@bbpr.com / michael@bbpr.com

General TDA enquiries

0870 496 0123

Notes for Editors

The research was carried out by PCP in July 2006 and is based on a sample of 2113 graduate employees aged 21-45 years old.

*The boredom rating was calculated as the extent to which members of a particular profession claimed to "often feel bored at work". Of all the professions surveyed admin/secretarial workers indicated they were the most bored and were therefore given a rating of 10.  Ratings for other professions are calculated relative to admin workers.

For more information about how to become a teacher, see www.teach.gov.uk 
 
Personal advice is available from the Teaching Information Line on 0845 6000 991 – 992 for Welsh speakers (minicom 01245 45 43 43).
 
Applications for most postgraduate initial teacher training courses are processed through the Graduate Teacher Training Registry and can be submitted online at www.gttr.ac.uk
 
Applications for undergraduate teacher training courses can be made via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service www.ucas.ac.uk
 
From 1 September 2007 a newly qualified teacher (NQT) can expect to start on a salary of at least £20,133 (£24,168 in inner London). The pay scale for good, experienced classroom teachers who have 'crossed the threshold' rises to £34,281 outside London and £41,004 in inner London. Additional allowances may be paid to teachers considered to be excellent, and to those who take on management and other responsibilities. The pay scale for head teachers can rise to over £90,000 depending on size of school.
Further details are available at www.tda.gov.uk/recruit/lifeasateacher/payandbenefits
 
Eligible trainees on postgraduate initial teacher training courses in England are entitled to a tax-free training bursary worth £6-9,000.  Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) with a PGCE in maths and science may also be eligible for a ‘golden hello’ payment worth £5,000 (taxed) after successfully completing their induction period. Those with a PGCE in modern languages, English or drama, design and technology, Information and Communications Technology, music and RE may receive £2,500. Details are available on the TDA website at www.tda.gov.uk/recruit/thetrainingprocess/coursefunding
 
The graduate teacher programme enables people to train to become a teacher while employed in a school.  Details of employment based routes can be viewed at www.tda.gov.uk/recruit/thetrainingprocess
 
Data collected by TDA shows that more than 41,000 people began teacher training in the academic year 2004/5, the highest number since 1975. 
 
The Training and Development Agency for Schools was established under the Education Act 2005 and was formerly known as the Teacher Training Agency. Its principle aim is to secure an effective school workforce that improves children’s life chances.