Job losses among financial workers hit by the credit crunch is adding up to more demand for teaching careers.

With at least 12,000 jobs predicted to go in the City of London following the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the merger of Lloyds TSB Bank and HBOS, and the break-up of Bradford & Bingley, as well as local employers such as Allianz Insurance in Tunbridge Wells axing jobs, many people will be seeking more secure employment.

Canterbury Christ Church University has joined a national recruitment drive for those looking for careers in teaching.

Recent statistics showed a 42 per cent rise in inquiries about teaching jobs and now the university is backing the Training and Development Agency for Schools’ (TDA) bid to recruit financiers to combat the shortage of maths and science teachers.

Dr John Moss, dean of the university’s Faculty of Education, said: "The credit crunch is forcing people to re-think their career path and teaching is an attractive option for City workers.

"It offers you a better quality of life (especially those used to commuting into London for three or four hours a day, with all the associated costs), and a career that will enable you to make a much needed contribution to the community you live in.

"We also know from numerous real cases that people can get much more job satisfaction from teaching than working in the city, and the career opportunities and salary potential for people with business and leadership skills are extensive."

He added: "We are particularly interested in attracting people who would like to teach secondary mathematics, science, languages and ICT and we can provide courses to help brush up the subject knowledge needed."

The university has a long tradition in teacher training and now boasts a large education faculty. It offers several routes into teaching, including part-time study, work-based and distance learning. Dr Moss said: "The opportunities are endless for these high-flying candidates."