There are no compulsory qualifications or experience required for becoming a teaching assistant. That may sound like great news, but the truth is that you will likely still need some relevant qualifications or experience to prove that you’re right for the job.

Having no prior experience for a job can leave you in an endless cycle of feeling like you can’t get a job without experience but you can’t get experience without a job. However, there are many opportunities outside of traditional employment where you can gain relevant experience and build your profile as a teaching assistant candidate.

Becoming a teaching assistant with no experience

Voluntary work

Work experience doesn’t always have to be paid employment. Voluntary work is a great way to get teaching assistant experience while showing your passion and dedication for the job.

Many schools are understaffed and could use a helping hand in the classroom. While this may not be a full teaching assistant role, you may still be tasked with assisting the teacher in various different ways. You’ll get an insight into what it’s like to work in a classroom and gain valuable experience in an assisting role.

By being proactive, reaching out to schools and accepting a role on no pay, you’ll be seen as a candidate with great initiative and a passion for the job.

Creating a CV

Your CV will be an employer’s first impression of you — so it’s important to make it count.

There are many tips for crafting a great CV, and you can find a detailed list in our CV writing article.

Some of the most important tips to remember include:

Follow a traditional CV structure and try to keep it as concise as possible without omitting relevant information
Only include skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for
Order your qualifications so that the highest levels are listed first
List your work experience in reverse chronological order
Avoid generic phrases and unprofessional fonts

Earning qualifications

While there are no mandatory qualifications for becoming a teaching assistant, earning relevant ones is a great way to boost your knowledge, enhance your skills and stand out in a competitive market.

The qualifications that can help you towards a teaching assistant career are:

All of the above courses can be completed with CTC Training, the leading provider of online training courses.

CTC Training offers a range of teaching assistant qualifications to help you progress into your dream career. Simply enrol online and you’ll gain access to the 24/7 student portal, where you can view course content and upload assessments at your leisure. Pay in full or on a monthly payment plan depending on your needs. At CTC, we help you earn qualifications your way.

Enrol today or contact our team for more information.