Oil and gas workers to be encouraged into teaching by Education secretary Angela Constance

Workers who have lost their oil and gas jobs in the North East are being encouraged to consider teaching by Education secretary Angela Constance.

The north east has a shortage of teachers, with many having left the profession, while the decline in the oil and gas industry in the North Sea and a falling oil price have led to job losses in the sector.

A £12m transition fund was announced in January by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to help workers find other jobs in energy and manufacturing.

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Constance today said a pathway would be established into teaching, particularly in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.

Aberdeen MSP Mark McDonald said teacher recruitment had been a problem for the area.

“It’s essential that we keep skilled workers in the North East and give individuals the opportunity to retrain into new fields – creating a pathway into teaching is an ideal way to allow oil and gas workers to pass on their skills and experience to the next generation,” he said.

However independent teaching standards authority the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) warned anyone taking this route would still have to undergo formal registration.

“Those who gain Provisional (Conditional) Registration are required to meet the GTCS Standard for Provisional Registration, and registration will be removed if they do not top up their qualifications and achieve the GTCS Standard for Full Registration within an agreed time frame.

“It is in the public interest and most importantly in the interests of our children and young people that we continue to uphold teaching standards and ensure that only properly qualified teachers are allowed to work in classrooms,” a spokesperson said.