PGDE students overseas

Gary Bowman, PGDE Secondary (Design and Technology), 2021

Gary began his PGDE (Design and Technology) at Moray House in 2020. In 2023 he took the leap to teach full-time in Melbourne, Australia.  

Why did you choose to become a teacher?  

I always wanted to do something that made a difference to the world and have more sustainable work-life balance. So, during the pandemic I took the opportunity to retrain as a teacher, leaving behind a high-paying, high-pressure career path.  

Where do you teach abroad  

I have taught across central Scotland and now teach full-time in Melbourne, Australia. The Australian public school I have worked for is well-funded and always finds the resources. The curriculums are structured differently but the subject knowledge and teaching skill sets are transferable. The workload is equitable between both locations but the wages are comparably higher in Australia. Add to that the better weather and standard of life in the city, it has been a great experience teaching Down Under.  

Why did you choose to teach abroad? 

Teaching in Australia offers a chance to grow as a person and as a teacher. As a person you get to experience new cultures, climates, societies and traditions and as a teacher you get to experience new curriculums, pedagogies, assessments and education systems. These offer perspective and rationality in your practice and life that can boost your confidence and performance as a teacher.  

How have you found living in your new home?  

Living in Melbourne has had its many rewards. The climate, scenery and city life are major changes from life in Scotland. Opportunities to learn new skills like surfing, kayaking and mountaineering right on your doorstep in the heat and sun is wonderful. The Australian people are welcoming, respectful and inclusive. Colleagues and locals have been very friendly, helping and offering advice wherever you go.  

What have you enjoyed about living and teaching abroad? 

Living abroad and immersing myself in Melbourne life and new experiences has been great. To be able to teach here offers the greatest reward as you get to see what life looks like for the young people who grow up here. Melbourne is a huge city with a massive population and wide social class divides. As a teacher, you see those divides every day in your classroom. This gives you a better understanding and relationship with the city as a whole.  

Would you recommend teaching abroad to other PGDE students? If so, why? 

I would definitely recommend teaching abroad to other PGDE students. The opportunity to gain experience in other education systems, pedagogies and cultures is invaluable to developing as a teacher and looks great on your CV. You could earn better money, have a great standard of life and make some wonderful memories. You can always go back home afterwards! 

What advice would you give to someone who was considering using their PGDE to teach in another country?  

Remember, the place has to match the person. That person is you. So, if you are considering working abroad do not just consider the school, the pupils, or the money. Look at the opportunity holistically and what it would be like to live there. Hard work is never without its pressures and the little pleasures in life that exist outwith the job will be all you have to make it manageable and help you cope.  

 Lee Dempsey, PGDE Secondary (Design and Technology), 2019

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After an undergraduate degree in Engineering, Lee worked as a Project Manager in housing. He decided to change careers and, in 2019, successfully completed his PGDE Secondary (Design and Technology) at Moray House. After four years working at a school in Fife, he has decided to take his skills and experience to a teaching role in New South Wales, Australia, where he will start working in January 2024.

Why did you choose to become a teacher?

I chose to become a teacher to try and make a difference to young people’s lives and to inspire creativity and a new generation of problem solvers who can take forward my passion and interest in Design, Engineering and Technology. Before my career change, I lacked job satisfaction. Now I see the impact I have on my students, and I leave work not only satisfied but with a sense of pride.

Where will you teach abroad?

I have always enjoyed travelling, meeting new people, and learning about different cultures but I was content teaching in Fife and planning my annual holidays. Or so I thought, until one day I stumbled across a recruitment ad from the New South Wales Education department, who were targeting International Teachers of STEM subjects to relocate to Australia. Before I knew it, I had applied, had an online interview, and was offered a permanent job. Now I am so excited about the next stage of my teaching career.

Is there anything that you are worried about?

I have a fear of snakes so that might be interesting when I come across one!

What are you looking forward to about teaching abroad?

I am excited to see what design and technology education looks like in another country. I am also looking forward to increased opportunities for outdoor learning due to the glorious weather.

What do you anticipate being the differences between teaching in Scotland and in your chosen country?

New South Wales, Australia has the highest number of Indigenous students across all states in Australia. At my new school almost half of the students identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. I look forward to getting to know more about their culture and incorporating it into my teaching to be inclusive of their heritage.

How has your PGDE enabled you to work abroad?

Being in my 40’s, I am too old for a working holiday visa in Australia. However, Secondary School teachers are in high demand, particularly teachers of STEM subjects. My PGDE and teaching experience in Scotland has enabled me to get a permanent skilled migration visa. Following my recruitment, I was told by an Australian school Principal how teachers from Scotland with a PGDE are held in the highest regard due to the quality of the programme and how it prepares classroom-ready teachers.

Fiona Thomson, PGDE Secondary (Chemistry), 2007

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Fiona started higher education at university in Aberdeen but dropped out at the beginning of her third year. She worked in a Pizza Hut to fund a backpacking trip to Australia where she met a group of teachers who told her that teaching abroad enabled them to work, party and travel.

“I returned to the University of Edinburgh with a fresh attitude, oozing focus and determined to get my BSc (hons) in Chemistry.”

From there, Fiona successfully completed her PGDE Secondary (Chemistry) at Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh.

After her probation year in Scotland, she taught all over the world, in Abu Dhabi, Rio de Janeiro, Kuwait and Dubai for 15 years.

How did you find adjusting to your new home and work?

I experienced culture shock on arrival in Abu Dhabi and in Rio de Janeiro. In Abu Dhabi I struggled with the less liberal attitudes, which would not be acceptable in the Scotland.

In Rio, I found the opposite! But after living there a while, I relaxed into the more liberal culture.

I didn’t enjoy working in Kuwait, and this taught me the importance of carefully choosing a school that fits well, not just a location.

I worked in several roles in the UAE. What made me keep returning was the brilliant friends I had made while living there.

Why did you choose to teach abroad and what did you enjoy about it?

I did it for adventure, money and travel opportunities. I was also bored of my friend group and going out drinking every weekend and wanted to experience more of the world.

I enjoyed the feeling of absolute freedom that I felt while building a life in each of those places.

I also took advantage of great pay in UAE. When I came home from Abu Dhabi, I was able to put a deposit down on a home.

I also loved learning about different nationalities and realising some stereotypes are true!

Would you recommend teaching abroad to other PGDE students?

Yes. I feel very strongly about teaching abroad.

From working at so many schools, the experience you get is second to none, life and curriculum wise! How many other teachers know how the Scottish curriculum stacks up against "Key Stage 3", iGCSES, GCSEs, A levels, MYP and International Baccalaureate?

Also, you grow from every experience. When my marriage broke down in Dubai, I handled the life change like a pro. I’d had so many times where I started from zero and rebuilt my life (and where it ended up being okay!) that I coped a lot better than my close circle (who had never worked abroad) expected me to.

Building my life in other countries had given me resilience to cope with the changes that life throws at you.

Claire Ritchie, PGDE Secondary (Chemistry), 1997

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Claire taught Chemistry in Auckland, New Zealand after graduating with her PGDE Secondary (Chemistry) from Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh.

Claire is now a Teaching Fellow at Moray House, supporting our next generation of Chemistry teachers through their PGDE studies and beyond.

Why did you choose to become a teacher?

I had some really inspirational teachers during my time at school. They were patient, funny and encouraged my interest in science. When I went to university to study chemistry, I was briefly involved in a project to have students go into local high schools to help out; this is when I knew teaching was what I wanted to do.

Why did you choose to teach in New Zealand, and what was it like?

My parents had lived and worked abroad before I was born, and I always knew I wanted to do this myself at some point. I really enjoyed living in New Zealand. I found it to be a very laid back and friendly place to live!

The overall experience of teaching in another education system was really interesting. I also loved bring able to travel round the country in my school holidays.

Would you recommend teaching abroad to other teachers?

Absolutely! The experience of teaching in a different country – in a different culture – is one that shaped my practice for years to come. Being able to adapt to different challenges really helped me discover the teacher I wanted to be.

What advice would you give to someone who was considering teaching in another country?

ad up on different schools so you have a feel of what you are going into. Choose a country you would like to spend some time in over your holidays – it is a great way of seeing a part of the world you have always wanted to visit.