Teacher retraining: 3 ideas for leaving the French education system

Leaving the French education system: a good idea? 

It's a phenomenon that's growing every year: in 2020, 30,959 professionals were leaving the national education system, and by 2022 the figure had risen to 39,270. Whether school or college teachers, they all face the same difficulties: low salaries, lack of resources to meet students' needs, lack of recognition of the profession. But how can you leave the French education system, and is it really a good idea? 

The benefits 

Leaving the teaching profession has a number of advantages: it allows you to regain your autonomy at work: no more constrained working hours and pre-determined vacations! 

We're becoming mobile again: it's much easier to move without being dependent on transfers. 

And if salary is an issue for you, retraining in a more lucrative field will enable you to earn more money in the long run, and perhaps have more rewarding career development prospects! 

Disadvantages

Being a tenured teacher in a school, college or lycée guarantees you a job for the rest of your working life. Leaving the French education system means giving up a certain amount of job security. 

It can also be synonymous with leaving a world and an environment that you appreciate and where you feel useful: the joy of passing on knowledge, working with children or teenagers, the teacher's room... So weigh up the pros and cons according to your needs and desires. 

Should you resign as a teacher? 

Resigning is always risky, as it means not being able to collect unemployment once you've left your job. What's more, in the French education system, it's a bit of a peculiar system, as the administration has to accept your resignation before you can leave your post. To resign, you need to send a letter of resignation to your rectorat, which will set the notice period. You are also likely to be interviewed by the rectorat to explain why you wish to resign. 

In recent years, there have been several reports of resignations being refused by the administration, which justifies this decision by the need for continuity of service... It can therefore take some time before your resignation is accepted. So if you want to leave the French education system, it's better to consider retraining rather than resigning outright! 

How do you reconvert after a career as a teacher? 

Solution 1: Retrain for a career in education 

The French Ministry of Education is well aware that teachers from all backgrounds, whether at school, college or high school, are looking for opportunities to evolve or retrain. A mobility portal now exists, providing access to tools, advice and services to support teachers in their careers. 

Within the French national education system, teachers can therefore consider a career move to administrative posts, accessible on secondment or by competitive examination, such as : 

• School principal
• Head of school (collège, lycée, specialized school)
• National Education Inspector
• Librarian ... 

Solution 2: Retrain for a career in the civil service 

Similarly, if you're a civil servant and a teacher, there are a number of bridges that can help you move back into the civil service, in other types of positions. 

Leaving the national education system for another administration can be done through a secondment or availability, which are described in detail below. It is also possible to take a competitive examination or resume training: the regional institutes of administration (IRA) offer bridging courses for national education staff, without the need to take the state attaché competitive examination, to enable them to then take up positions as project managers, office managers or general administration assistants in areas such as : 

• Human resources
• Budget and financial management
• Public procurement
• Specialized departments (litigation, urban planning, solidarity, etc.)

Solution 3: Find a job in the private sector 

What teaching skills can be developed in the private sector? 

Whether you're a school or college teacher, you have undeniable skills that can be put to good use in the private sector. Being a teacher allows you to develop a wealth of interpersonal skills, including the following qualities: 

• Cooperation
• Communication
• Ability to lead a team and work as part of a team
• Build, develop and implement a support program 
• Defending a value system 
• Responding to complex situations

En ce qui concerne les compétences techniques ou hard skills, elles vont être aussi variées, mais vont plutôt dépendre de vos savoirs liés à la matière enseignée, ou seront généralistes pour les professeurs des écoles. 

Retraining ideas for math, physics and chemistry teachers

For those who love the hard sciences and are curious to discover the technical developments of our society, here are some ideas for a possible career change: 

• Data Analyst
• Growth Hacker
• Data Scientist
• Cybersecurity Project Manager
• Pentester

At Jedha, we offer a range of training courses to enable you to learn these tech professions in just a few months. Full-time or part-time, face-to-face or distance learning, we offer a range of fun, hands-on formats that can be adapted to your needs to help you retrain in data analysis, cybersecurity or data science ! 

The part-time format is particularly well-suited to teachers looking to retrain. It requires the ability to study 10 hours a week, which is compatible with a teaching career. 

Retraining ideas for a French or language teacher

If you are a teacher of humanities, French or languages, it is possible to retrain in the private sector in the following professions: 

• Journalist
• Translator
• Web copywriter
• Project management (company, association)
• Commercial

Retraining ideas for a school teacher 

School teachers have the particularity of working with young children. Possible career paths include : 

• Speech therapist
• Child care assistant
• Nurse
• Psychomotrician

How can I change jobs if I'm a teacher? 

For a long time, it was more difficult for civil servants than for private-sector employees to consider retraining. Indeed, as a teacher, giving up the status of civil servant, which guarantees job security, means having to resign and therefore not being able to collect unemployment. 

However, there are a number of changes to your status and new schemes that can help you make a career change. We list them here:

Availability

What does it mean? A teaching assignment is a period during which a tenured teacher stops working. He or she is therefore temporarily no longer attached to his or her administration, no longer receives remuneration, and no longer benefits from pension or promotion rights for a given period. At the end of this period, the teacher is reinstated. 

How can I benefit? There are three types of availability: automatic, de jure and subject to service requirements. It is possible to apply for an availability for personal reasons, valid for 5 years and renewable once (a total of 10 years of availability possible). This request must be accepted by the reference rectorate, which may refuse for reasons of continuity of public service. 

Who is it for? For those who would like to try their luck in the private sector and have already identified a position, but are not sure whether they want to leave the French education system for good. It gives you the opportunity to work elsewhere for a while, or to train, and to decide whether or not you want to pursue your chosen career path. 

Detachment device

What is secondment? Secondment is a system that enables you to take up a civil service post in another government department, or in certain listed private sector jobs, while retaining your status as a permanent civil servant in your original government department. 

Professionals on secondment receive the remuneration associated with their new position, but continue to develop their career (promotion rights) in their home administration. The secondment can last up to 5 years, after which time it is possible to return to one's original administration, or to ask to be attached to the host administration. 

How can I benefit? A request for secondment must be submitted to the French Ministry of Education. The host organization (administration or private sector referenced) must also formulate a written proposal for secondment with full details of the position. Your request will be approved by the central administration, after receiving the opinion of the rectorat.  

Who can benefit? Secondment is relevant if you've identified a position you'd like in another government department, or a position in the private sector accepted by the scheme. For example, it's possible to work abroad in an embassy or teach in a French secondary school on secondment. 

Cumulative activity 

What does it mean? Combined activity is a way for a teacher to carry out his or her main activity, that of teaching, and a secondary activity known as "accessory". There are three possible scenarios: either you want to manage the family estate or produce "works of the mind" (aka write a book), in which case you have nothing to declare; or you want to declare the exercise of a private activity you carried out before becoming a teacher, which is possible for two years with a simple declaration; or you want to request part-time work to exercise another ancillary activity, which requires prior authorization. 

How can you benefit? To obtain this authorization, you must first discuss the matter with your head of school to obtain his or her favorable opinion, then send an administrative request to your local education authority. The latter may refuse, however, on the grounds of continuity of service, or if it considers that the person concerned would neglect his or her duties in favor of his or her other activity. So you need to show that it's in the administration's best interest to say yes! 

Who is it for? Combined employment is ideal for those looking to supplement their income. The most common cases involve teachers who go on to provide training in private structures, or work on a part-time basis in higher education. It's also a good way of starting a new career by trying out another activity, but in this case you'll be dependent on the goodwill of your referral administration! 

Breach of contract

What is a "rupture conventionnelle"? The "rupture conventionnelle " is an agreement between the employer and his employee on the end of a contract, which is concluded by the signing of an agreement, and enables the employee to receive an end-of-contract bonus and unemployment benefits. Since 2020, it is now possible for teachers to request a conventional rupture. It may seem like the best option, but it's more complicated than it sounds!  

How can I benefit? To obtain a "rupture conventionnelle", you need to send a registered request to your reference administration. You will then be invited to a preliminary interview, where you will have to explain why you wish to leave the French education system. It is preferable to have a serious and well-developed career transition project to present, if you hope to obtain the Holy Grail. After the interview, it's time to wait for the verdict. In practice, very few teachers manage to obtain a "rupture conventionnelle", because once again, the administration can refuse on the grounds of necessity. 

Who is it for? Attempting to obtain a "rupture conventionnelle" from the French education system is for those who are already well advanced in their career transition project, and who are ready to negotiate hard. If you're exhausted, in a burn-out situation, or don't know what to do next, this may not be for you. 

Professional Training Leave (CFP)

What is Professional Training Leave? Congé de Formation Professionnelle (Professional Training Leave) is a leave of absence of up to three years that a tenured teacher can take throughout his or her career for training purposes. However, they must have been in post for at least three years. The leave can be taken all at once, or spread out over the course of your working life. You can then receive an allowance equivalent to 85% of your reference salary, for the first twelve months of the CFP.

How can I benefit? After discussion with your head of establishment, you must apply to your reference administration. Once the CFP has been validated, you must submit a certificate of attendance to the administration. Finally, you must undertake to remain with the administration for three times as long as your training period.

Who is it for? The CFP is very popular with teachers preparing for the agrégation. But it's also a great way to train for a career change!

If none of the aforementioned options seem to meet your needs, or if you're looking for more flexible alternatives, there are other ways to train without compromising your salary .

Bilan de compétences

C’est quoi ? Le bilan de compétences est un dispositif public d’orientation professionnelle, qui permet de faire le point sur sa carrière. Manque de sens, environnement de travail inadapté, erreur d'orientation… Quelles que soient les causes de l’insatisfaction professionnelle, le bilan de compétences permet de faire le point sereinement et de construire un projet plus aligné avec ses aspirations.

Comment en bénéficier ? Effectué sur le temps de travail, le bilan doit s'inscrire dans le cadre de la formation continue des personnels de l’éducation nationale ou nécessiter une demande de congés de formation professionnelle (CFP) auprès de votre administration. Il est aussi possible de le réaliser hors du temps de travail, sans conditions spécifiques. Concernant le financement, le bilan de compétences peut être financé par le CPF (après en avoir fait la demande auprès de votre supérieur hiérarchique), ou pris en charge par votre employeur.

Des organismes comme Chance proposent des bilans de compétences personnalisés sur 12 semaines, finançables par le CPF. Chance a accompagné plus de 20 000 personnes dans la concrétisation de leur projet professionnel.

À qui cela s’adresse ? Tout le monde peut faire un bilan de compétences, y compris les membres de l’éducation nationale. Dans la fonction publique d’état, vous pouvez prétendre à un bilan de compétences tous les 5 ans.

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Testimonials from former teachers who left the French education system

On the web, you'll find many stories of teachers who have left the education system and changed careers! These testimonials are available in the form of articles or video interviews (see video above):

• The story of Sandrine, 50: "After 6 years as a school teacher, I decided to change careers in 2021. Today, I'm an SEO web copywriter and coach!"
• Testimonial from Nathalie, 45: "I was a secondary school teacher for 20 years. I couldn't take it anymore, so I took a two-year leave of absence, trained myself and then quit! Today I'm a sophrologist."

You can also chat with teachers who have changed careers on Facebook groups such as La Reconversion Enseignante or Reconversion des enseignants et fonctionnaires. 

Conclusion: 

Whether you're a disillusioned young teacher, or an experienced one who's tired of the profession, you now have proof that it's possible to leave the French education system and retrain! 

And if you're interested in tech careers and want to find out more about our training courses, Jedha organizes weekly online open days. You can also download our syllabus to find out more about our Data and Cybersecurity courses. 

Frequently asked questions about retraining as a teacher

How do you retrain as a teacher after a burn-out? 

In this case, there are several solutions: you can opt for a career change within the civil service in administrative positions, or leave the French education system and move into the private sector. To do this, you have a choice: negotiate a "rupture conventionnelle", take professional training leave, or resign. 

How can I leave the French education system during the year? 

Leaving the French education system during the year is not easy, as you will always be dependent on the agreement of your reference administration. You can ask to be placed on secondment, resign, or request a "rupture conventionnelle", but you may be refused. Another option we don't recommend is to abandon your post.