"There is light at the end of the tunnel."

Former secondary school French teacher in Scotland, Laura left the profession after five years, having experienced burnout due to staffing crises and increasing workload pressures. As the only consistent staff member in her modern languages department amid post-Brexit staffing shortages, the isolation and pressure eventually led to her being signed off with workplace stress.

Now an Employability Team Leader, Laura is enjoying the freedom and flexibility of her new role, mentoring a team of employment coordinators and working with clients who face barriers to employment. With autonomy over her schedule and a varied day involving travel, meetings, and relationship-building with employers, she's found a sustainable career path that allows her to come home with energy for her personal life rather than feeling like a "zombie."

In this episode, we're talking about:

• Navigating burnout and being signed off work
• The emotional difficulty of job searching while dealing with workplace stress 
• The value of Academy well-being calls and community support
• Separating self-worth from professional output
• Finding roles with movement and client interaction
• Day-to-day life as an Employability Team Leader
• Using LinkedIn for networking
• Regaining work-life balance and personal energy post-teaching 

If you're looking for step-by-step support to find and secure a new job or start your own business, check out the Adventures After Teaching Academy which will help you successfully leave the classroom! 

Thinking about leaving teaching? Sign up for our new free webinar 💛 Leaving teaching in 2026 for your roadmap to leaving the classroom next year - delivered straight to your inbox on 27th December.