A TEACHING CAREER could be within reach for people in Moray thanks to a partnership between the local authority and Aberdeen University.

Moray Council is to offer an online postgraduate diploma in education with studies for the first part-time course scheduled to begin early next year.

Structured so that those seeking the qualification can undertake the studies in their own time and fitted around a current work schedule, the course will be delivered through e-learning, attendance at weekend workshops and self-study.

The 18-month long course will include 18 weeks of placement experience at a Moray primary school – and a guaranteed probationer year with the Council at the end of the course.

Interested applicants should live in Moray and already have competent IT skills appropriate to using online learning. Applications for the course are being accepted until September 30 with course fees expected to be £1820 over two academic sessions – applicants may be eligible for funding from the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.

Chair of the Council’s children and young people’s services committee, Councillor Anne Skene, welcomed the course as presenting an ideal opportunity for people undertaking teacher training while still pursuing their current careers.

She said: “It may well appeal to those who have some experience of the classroom environment – such as classroom assistants or school auxiliaries – and who would like to further their careers by joining the teaching profession.

“Similarly, the course is well suited to those with ambitions to be teacher but who, perhaps because of family commitments, have not had access to college training.

“The fact that there is a national shortage of teachers has been well publicised of late and I believe this sort of distance learning could go some way to increasing teacher numbers.”

The innovative scheme compliments programmes already available in Moray and highlights continued development of a partnership between the council and local universities.

Further details and application forms are available by contacting Cathy Reid at c.a.reid@abn.ac.uk while anyone who would prefer an informal chat should contact Moray Council education support officer Janet Cornall at janet.cornall@moray.gov.uk.