Teaching in a school one of the top graduate jobs - graduate jobs

Teaching in a school in challenging circumstances is now seen as one of the top graduate jobs in the country, according to the independent charity Teach First.

The claim comes after the charity was named among the top graduate employers in three separate rankings.

At the recent Times Graduate Recruitment Awards 2011, Teach First was named Graduate Employer of Choice in the Public Sector, making it the first organisation, other than the Civil Service Fast Stream, to win this top award in its five year history.

The charity was also voted the third Most Popular Graduate Employer, in the Guardian 300 rankings, beating organisations including Google, Microsoft and Cancer Research UK.

Teach First also maintained its position as the seventh top graduate employer, in the Times' list of the Top 100 Graduate Employers, as well as being named runner-up in the most popular graduate Recruiter in the Public Sector ‘category at the TARGETjobs Awards.

Teach First works to ensure that all children, regardless of their family income, receive a first class education by providing them with teachers focused on raising pupil achievement, aspiration and access to opportunity.

Since its launch in 2002 Teach First has elevated teaching to be seen as a prestigious career of choice for Britain's top graduates, recruiting and training some of the country's most able and high-achieving students to become effective, inspirational teachers in schools in challenging circumstances.

The clutch of awards cements Teach First's position alongside well established graduate recruiters including PwC, the NHS, the BBC and Accenture, as one of Britain's most respected and sought-after graduate employers.

The 2011 Times Top 100 ranking was based on interviews with 17,851 final year, job hunting students, at 30 leading universities. The students were asked the open ended question "Which employer do you think offers the best opportunities for graduates?”

Both the TARGETjobs and Guardian 300 awards were based on research compiled by Trendence, which conducted interviews with 15,600 students from 96 universities.

James Darley, Director of Graduate Recruitment at Teach First said: "These awards really drive home the point that teaching in a school in challenging circumstances is seen as a prestigious career choice by to graduates.

"Considering the challenging nature of teaching in general and the specific challenges of teaching in the schools that partner with Teach First these awards are remarkable.

"The continued recruitment of the most able graduates is crucial if Teach First is to effect real change on the lives of pupils in schools in challenging circumstances”.