ASPIRING teachers from Manchester with the passion and potential to teach are being encouraged to attend the Train to Teach roadshow when it comes to Manchester Town Hall on Saturday, March 4.

Visitors to the event, organised by the National College for Teaching and Leadership, will be able to meet representatives from schools and universities that provide teacher training, gain insights into how to make a strong application, and receive one-to-one advice from current teachers and teaching experts.

The event will provide information on the competitive starting salaries, as well as the rewards that teaching has to offer. It will also showcase the financial support available - you could get a £25,000 tax-free bursary to train as a teacher.

Applications for teacher training are open and popular courses fill up fast.

Roger Pope, chairman of the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL), an executive agency of the Department for Education that provides a comprehensive programme of support for aspiring teachers, said: “Good teachers are in demand and there are excellent employment prospects. The generous bursaries and scholarships available this year mean more talented graduates will be able to teach the subject they love.

“This event isn’t only for new graduates – every year, we see people from other sectors who switch to teaching, bringing a wealth of experience to help inspire the next generation.

“Teaching is a fantastic career choice and I strongly encourage anyone from Manchester and the local area with the passion and potential to teach to attend this event. It is a brilliant opportunity to get all of your questions answered if you are thinking about teaching as a career.”

The free Train to Teach event is being held at The Town Hall, Albert Square, Manchester, M2 5DB on March 4, from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

Registration in advance is advised by going to https://traintoteach.education.gov.uk/sign-up Participants can also register on the day.

To find out more about what life as a teacher is like, visit: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk or call the Get Into Teaching line on 0800 389 2500.

The event is also open to qualified teachers who are interested in returning to teaching. Anyone considering returning to teaching can access support on 0800 085 0971.

For former teachers thinking about returning to the profession, there is also a Returning to Teaching event in Manchester on March 15, at the Manchester Metropolitan University.