A council worker believes a new retraining programme designed to prevent a teaching crisis will benefit children for years to come.
Pamela Bicocchi, 42, is one of 14 local authority employees who will participate in the Learn to Teach retraining programme.
Pamela, who is currently a business and management officer in education and children services, will remain in her current council post while retraining as a teacher.
She said: “I think it’s a win-win. I’m getting something out of this opportunity and the council are getting something out of it as well.
“I’ve still got an entire career ahead of me. I’ve got as much work ahead of me as I’ve got behind me now.
“Provided we all pass the course and providing we all pass the probationary year, in August 2018 Perth and Kinross are getting 14 guaranteed teachers. So that’s a great position for them to start in.”
The scheme, which allows those taking part to gain a postgraduate diploma in education in 18 months, is being run in conjunction with Dundee University.
The programme was offered to council staff who are qualified to degree level. Pamela previously attained a zoology degree from Aberdeen University, but always harboured ambitions to become a teacher.
She has experience leading Girl Guides and the Rainbows which she hopes to put to good use.
Pamela continued: “This is a fantastic opportunity. It is an opportunity to do something that I didn’t think I would have the chance to do.
“I had thought about becoming a teacher, but then you have commitments, such as a family and mortgage.
“It would have involved me packing in my job so it just wasn’t an option.”
Following successful completion of the programme, individuals will be assigned a probationary teaching position within the Perth and Kinross area.
After the placement the probationers will then go on to teach in a Perth and Kinross school.
Pamela added: “This is not fast-tracking. We will still be doing the same course as the full-time students and have had to meet the same criteria.
“It will not be that in 2018 the public are getting 14 people half-baked through a course. They will be getting the same calibre of candidates from a full-time course.”