Former teachers' perceptions of post-teaching career job satisfaction: lessons for the profession

Article

Larsen, Ellen, Brandenburg, Robyn and Papatraianou, Lisa. 2025. "Former teachers' perceptions of post-teaching career job satisfaction: lessons for the profession." Educational Review. 77 (4), pp. 1236-1254. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2025.2449931
Article Title

Former teachers' perceptions of post-teaching career job satisfaction: lessons for the profession

ERA Journal ID20015
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsLarsen, Ellen, Brandenburg, Robyn and Papatraianou, Lisa
Journal TitleEducational Review
Journal Citation77 (4), pp. 1236-1254
Number of Pages19
Year2025
PublisherTaylor & Francis
Place of PublicationUnited Kingdom
ISSN0013-1911
1465-3397
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2025.2449931
Web Address (URL)https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00131911.2025.2449931
Abstract

Teachers worldwide are rethinking their commitment to the profession and their traditional roles in schools and classroom teaching, evidenced by significant global rates of teacher attrition and subsequent teacher shortages. Research aimed at deepening our understanding of teachers’ decisions to leave the profession has primarily reported on teachers’ intentions to leave the profession, with limited insights from former teachers. In this paper, we report on the second phase of a national study in Australia that focused on understanding teacher attrition from the perspectives of former teachers and their post-teaching work experiences. Framed by the concept of work satisfaction, we draw on in-depth interviews with 25 former teachers from across the country to understand the motivating factors shaping their post-teaching work experiences. Using thematic analysis, the findings revealed the power of professional autonomy, trust, and care as enablers of work satisfaction. These findings have the potential to identify the necessary changes at the individual, school, and systemic levels that would encourage a return to teaching in schools and strategies aimed at enhancing retention.

Keywordspost-teaching careers; teacher attrition; teacher retention; former teachers; teacher shortage; job satisfaction
Contains Sensitive ContentDoes not contain sensitive content
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020390201. Education policy
Public Notes

File reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/author/creator.

Byline AffiliationsSchool of Education
Federation University
Charles Darwin University
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