Self-test career switch

There was already a need for more people in education and corona has made the demand for teachers more urgent. Upskilling and retraining is a real option for more and more people. The self-test Career switch to education is a first test to see if education is something for you. NOA developed the test on behalf of the labour market funds Labour Market Platform PO and Voion. Simone Hoogenboom, programme leader for the labour market and education, is enthusiastic. "The test is informative, attractive and gives a meaningful first picture."

The test was partly created in response to the covenant Getting started for the classroom, a collaboration between education and the financial sector. A self-test specifically aimed at adult lateral entrants to orient themselves on working in education was not yet available. Hoogenboom: "Now that the test is there, it is being used market-wide. There is a huge need for teachers and education can be a good step for many people for their next career. But it has to suit you. And to get an idea of that, this test is needed."

There was already a test for young people who are considering going into education, but not for everyone who is considering a second career. "It had to be a solid and reliable test, which, in addition to information about possible follow-up steps and training, also gives an idea of whether it suits you as a person. What does working in education mean? What is your image of the profession? And does that match reality? What are your motivations?", says Hoogenboom. "So a test with scientific substantiation and reliable norm groups and scores. Hence the choice for NOA."

The self-test discusses the orientation towards the teaching profession and the orientation towards a training programme to become a teacher. In addition, your motivations and competencies are discussed. But you will also be asked about your reaction in certain educational situations. "The self-test is really tailor-made for education," says Corine Sonke, account manager from NOA. "You can imagine that specific competencies are important within education. That is why we developed the test in collaboration with a sounding board group in which teacher training colleges, teacher training colleges and people from education are represented. For example, they also brought in the educational situations. Tailoring a test to specific wishes is fun to do, especially because it has resulted in a successful instrument!"

In the meantime, the self-test Career Switch to Education is offered more widely in the regions in the approach to regional staff shortages and at UWV. Hoogenboom: "We aim for this test to be offered in many places where people come to seriously delve into a new direction in their career. The labor market is changing. People don't all work for the same company for forty years anymore. Today's young people may follow several career paths. And working in education can be one of them."

Curious about the self-test? Click here