THE University of Cumbria is hoping to attract more science and mathematics teacher trainees to help address a national shortage.

The newly formed educational establishment, which is recognised as being the best provider of teacher training in the country, is also asking scientists, engineers and technicians to consider retraining as teachers.

Patrick Smith, programme leader for secondary undergraduate teacher training at the university, said that schools across the country were struggling to find specialist science and mathematics teachers, and in some cases teachers of other subjects were being asked to fill in.

He said: "There is a shortage, particularly in science, mathematics and technology. Nationally we find it hard to attract teachers, especially in physics and chemistry.

"Some schools have - they won't thank me for saying this - got non-specialist teachers teaching these subjects, and that is to the detriment of the pupils' learning."

Mr Smith says that the reason why there is a shortage of teachers in these subjects is because the people who are scientifically minded tend to stay on at university, to undertake research, or become engineers.

"If people have got a maths brain, or a science brain, they might not consider teaching." He said. "These young adults might go into medicine or engineering because they think there is more money in those routes."

However, Mr Smith pointed out that there were many incentives now being offered for teacher trainees, and there was the potential for a lucrative career.

He said: "The Training Development Agency gives bursaries to training teachers, it gives around £7,000 for a post-graduate trainee. The starting salary is around £20,000 but then that goes up on a scale.

"Inner city head teachers are earning more than £100,000 a year."

The University of Cumbria hopes to attract students from the county to train at their facilities, and they think that people who may be getting made redundant in their technical jobs might want to consider retraining, rather than move elsewhere to find jobs.

He said: "What we want to do is to stop the brain-drain out of Cumbria. We want to keep people with the skills in the county.

"I have made some contact with GlaxoSmithKline (which has recently announced that 330 jobs will be lost at Ulverston) because they are a manufacturing business, some of the technicians or scientists there might want to consider teaching.

"There is no need for them to go further afield to find a high quality training course, because we are the best."