The breakthrough moments that shape lives

Scotland needs more secondary school teachers, particularly in harder-to-fill subjects and in communities outside the central belt. But getting more people into the profession is more than a recruitment challenge. We needed undergraduates and recent graduates to see teaching as a career that could offer something meaningful for them too. 

Our research showed that people are still drawn to teaching by the opportunity to shape lives. But for a new generation considering their future, purpose needs to come with personal reward. So rather than simply telling people that teaching makes a difference, we set out to show how the breakthrough moments experienced by pupils can shape the lives of their teachers too. 

Shot in a real school with real teachers and pupils, the campaign ran across TV, cinema, OOH, audio, social and digital, with more targeted messages tackling some of the practical questions around pay, location and the skills teachers gain along the way. 

And when the campaign inspired someone to find out more, the digital experience kept them moving, with a clearer journey from inspiration to action that helped turn that initial spark of interest into an ongoing conversation. 

The campaign exceeded every objective. Two thirds of our audience recognised the campaign, while around seven in ten undergraduate recognisers and three quarters of graduate and postgraduate recognisers said it made them think more seriously about secondary teaching.