England faces a steep fall in teacher trainees in some regions — the North East saw a 56% drop in five years — while entrants over 40 are the fastest‑growing trainee group, raising debate about recruiting career‑changers to address shortages. School leaders report difficulty filling vacancies and rising workload and wellbeing concerns as key retention drivers. Now Teach and similar programs are promoting mid‑career transitions into the classroom; proponents argue older entrants bring stability and experience, while critics flag the need for robust induction and support. Teachers cited workload, accountability pressures and mental‑health impacts as reasons for leaving. The trend has implications for university education faculties and postgraduate teacher‑training providers, which may need to redesign flexible pathways, modular credentials and support structures to attract and retain career‑changing candidates.