Name: Michael Pillay

Job title: Teacher/year advisor at Cumberland High School in Carlingford.

What does a typical workday look like for you?

I am qualified to teach hospitality, food technology and technology mandatory, which involves coding. I am also year advisor for 152 students, so helping them to be the best versions of themselves is always top of my agenda.

There are few typical days in teaching, as students and cohorts are so very different, and this is actually one of the best things about the job. I experience new adventures every week. I am constantly amazed and inspired by the abilities of young people.

How long have you been doing this job and what first sparked your interest in this area?

I have been teaching for 15 years. I became interested when teaching disadvantaged kids how to cook while working in a homeless hostel in London. My wife constantly reminded me of how much satisfaction I got out of this role, and when a scholarship opportunity to retrain became available, we made the decision to raise our two small children on a single wage while I studied at university. With my eldest daughter recently becoming a teacher, and my wife being an assistant principal, we often joke that teaching has become the family business.

What do you like most about the job?

Being in a position to make a real positive difference in the lives of young people. Growing up in both foster care and children’s homes, I understand the ability of education to change lives, and when you see that lightbulb moment in a child, where they suddenly know what they are doing, what they want and where they are heading, it can be life-changing for them and their families.