Professor Robbie Gilligan:

Recruitment and training is inextricably bound up with retention. The people who leave are often experienced people who would have been very good practice teachers. Retention is a part of the whole picture, and in a way we have to recognise that there is a hole in the bucket. People are leaving, and policies have to be put in place that improve conditions for newly qualified people. It is really crucial that they feel well supported in the early years of their careers and therefore motivated to continue in the career. It is an excellent career, but it is challenging. It requires a lot of commitment and ability on the part of the workers to do the job well. They have to be supported. Our training provides a launch pad for them, but they also need supports after they start, and that will turn them into good practice teachers who will then take the next generation of students and train them. This is a really important cycle that we have to look after to ensure that the next generation of trainers are there and that they are taking the next generation of students, who will be the next employees. This all sits together; we cannot see one piece in isolation from the other pieces.