£25,000 incentives announced to train STEM teachers in Wales

The Welsh Government is offering £20,000 of funding to top graduates to train as teachers in subjects such as computer science, maths, chemistry and physics.

Unveiled by Education Minister Kirsty Williams last week, the incentives are part of plans to increase the number of teachers working in Wales – particularly across STEM.

What’s more, students who want to teach secondary education in Welsh can apply for £5,000 of funding through the Iaith Athrawon Yfory scheme.

Graduates with a first class degree, Masters or PhD can apply for the highest value bursaries to undertake Initial Teacher Education. But there’s also support available for graduates with 2:1 and 2:2 degrees.

The funding includes:

• Up to £20,000 for mathematics, physics, chemistry, Welsh or computer sciences
• Up to £15,000 for modern foreign languages
• £3,000 for graduates with a first-class degree, a Masters or a PhD to teach all other main secondary subjects and primary
• A £3,000 supplement for graduates with a first-class degree, a Masters or a PhD undertaking primary PGCE studies with subject specialism in English, Welsh, mathematics or science.

Kirsty Williams said: “Giving school pupils the best possible education means attracting the best teachers into the profession, especially in priority subjects where the demand for new teachers is highest.

“We are also extending the Iaith Athrawon Yfory incentives to help increase the numbers teaching Welsh and through the medium of Welsh, to help us achieve our aims in Cymraeg 2050.

“These incentives of up to £20,000, with an additional £5,000 available for Welsh-medium teachers, will help recruit the best teachers we can and support them on their career pathway. Maintaining a strong and skilled teaching workforce is essential to achieving our ambitions in our National Mission for Education in Wales.”