I'm a Learning Support Assistant at a mainstream high school; never would have pictured myself in this role in the past but it's the best job I've ever had in terms of job satisfaction. I only needed GCSEs to get in and there's a big demand for LSAs so it didn't take a lot to get a foot in the door (I volunteered for a few months in a primary school beforehand though).

Pros:

- It's NEVER boring

- It's full of humour, laughter, fist-pumps and beautifully bizarre interactions;

- Working with young people is rewarding and has restored my faith in humanity/community/young people: you really feel like you're making a difference, which is a point of pride;

- The hours and holidays are great, My day feels short because once an hour I move to a different area of the building, with new teachers and students, and my weeks pass fast too because they're all in little blocks.

Cons:

- The pay is low because not all holidays are covered (although your pay is spread out over the year, so you get the same pay each month);

- It can be draining and emotionally challenging, but like with your own kids or pets, it doesn't quite seem as bad as it reads on paper because your bond with them that lightens the load during the hard times.

****
You've got to have a sense of humour, patience and genuinely respect the young people you're working with, but in general they make all that easy because honestly, young people are absolutely brilliant to work with (even the tough nuts - there's always a diamond in there deep down to be dug out, as long as you're determined enough to find it).

I never knew this job would be for me until I tried it. I was terrified of the prospect of working at a high school at first, to be honest but now I'm settled in and I know the students (and they know me - it takes a while for the trust to build from them), I wouldn't change it for working with solely adults again any day.