Graduates
Recently graduated? Do you see yourself working as a teacher? The Smile Graduate Academy provides you with the opportunity to take a step on the teaching ladder and is aimed exclusively at university graduates.
Who Should Apply?
Our Graduate Academy is available for all university graduates interested in pursuing a career in teaching - any degree subject may apply. We've had graduates join the programme from Birmingham City University, University of Wolverhampton and De Montfort University among others.
As well as a degree, we are also looking for the following qualities in all of our graduates:
- Hardworking
- Enthusiastic
- Ambitious
- Committed
- Eager to learn
The Academy gives graduates the opportunity to gain meaningful experience in the classroom as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and provides them with the chance to inspire the minds of young people. It is the perfect starter for those who are considering embarking on a PGCE/School Direct/SCITT.
Joining our academy will allow you to immerse yourself in school life and learn from the dedicated teachers around you, enabling you to make a genuine difference in the classroom and to the students that you work with, while also getting paid - a huge plus point!
For a better idea of what the role of a Graduate Teaching Assistant looks like, take a look at the graduate roles we currently have available in schools right now.
What You Can Expect When Joining Our Graduate Academy
Those that are part of the Smile Graduate Academy will get 24/7 access to all the training and support they need to ensure that they are confident and fully equipped to handle life in the classroom as a Graduate Teaching Assistant.
This includes the following:
- Initial training - Safeguarding and Prevent
- Access to a resource portal and online training to further cement learning
- Ongoing personal development - termly training days on topics such as behaviour management and wellbeing
We also offer Team Teach, Emergency Paediatric First Aid, First Aid for Mental Health and Cover Supervisor Training to all of those who register with us for free or at a discounted rate helping to develop your skills and progress further.
Our Graduates
Find out more about our Graduate Academy from our graduates themselves.
Sophie joined in January and started working in roles such as exam 1:1 reading/scribing, cover supervisor and general TA support. She has since secured an English academic coach role from April-July through us to continue to gain experience in a more specialist role and plans to go on to complete her PGCE.
Victoria graduated university during the pandemic and found the current job market challenging with many roles requiring experience that she wasn't able to obtain due to the restrictions in place. Our Graduate Academy has given her the skills and experience she needed to find a job in the field of her degree: Psychology.
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