Felix's Story

Felix, 26, from Norwich South wanted to become a teacher to address classroom shortages across the East of England. Despite having a degree and passion for education, he discovered that teacher training bursaries had been slashed by the Department for Education, making the career financially impossible. The classrooms existed, qualified graduates were ready to train, but Westminster's spending rules meant departments compete for fixed budgets as though the government must find money it creates. Felix's story reveals how Treasury constraints manufacture teacher shortages in a region crying out for educators. This episode examines how central government choices block willing workers from filling essential roles. Contains strong language and references to financial stress.