Career pathways in teaching in Sweden

In Sweden, as in many other countries, there is a pressing challenge regarding the impending shortage of teachers, which is exacerbated by upcoming retirements. The reduced attractiveness of the teaching profession is often attributed to a lack of career opportunities. Despite efforts to make teaching more appealing, there is a growing teacher deficit, and a significant number of unqualified teachers are working in schools. In recent decades, the landscape surrounding teacher supply has undergone significant changes. This has raised questions about the increasingly diverse routes into teaching and the implications for professional learning and workforce development. Therefore, this study aims to closely examine current career paths that emerge from teacher education in Sweden.

To achieve this, a multiple case study approach is adopted, which includes document and literature analysis. The research examines and compares four different cases of career pathways related to the teaching profession. It explores the efficacy of these pathways in addressing the issue of teacher shortages and increasing the profession's attractiveness. The results of this comparative analysis show that teacher education and the teaching profession can serve as gateways to various related career paths. However, the majority of these paths also lead away from the school classroom.