A CAREER in teaching. Anyone in the profession will tell you it's one of the most rewarding jobs around despite the hard work and long hours.

For many who are juggling a demanding home life or who may not have a CV loaded with qualifications however, a teaching post could seem a far-off dream.

But the Graduate training Programme offers a relatively new route for a handful of dedicated professionals.

Anna Phillips, 36, is one such trainee teacher currently based at Turton and Edgworth primary with a forthcoming placement at St James' Primary in Darwen.

She is one of 35 Lancashire trainees under the guiding wing of Edge Hill College in Ormskirk.

But unlike doing a standard degree in teaching or even a post graduate PGCE to convert a non-teaching degree, Anna is learning the ropes in school.

Her thorough training is classroom based. Every minute detail of her experience is documented in some 20 files. She attends courses at college and receives copious amounts of guidance from the school where she is based.

For that is what makes the Graduate Training Programme so unique -- it is on-the job training where the school and potential teacher work in direct partnership.

"I have gathered 15 files of evidence to say I have experience of everything from dealing with parents to planning," said Anna, who chose the route after gaining a wide range of experience of working with children. She wanted to be a teacher but at the same time carry on juggling a demanding home life with two children.

So now she is doing the year-long training programme with blocks of study at Edge Hill and will next year be a Newly Qualified Teacher.

"The programme is not the easy option at all, and a huge commitment," she added. "I would not have been able to do it if it had not been thanks to all the support from family, friends and the school.

"It is a very close partnership. You have to find a school that will support you. I started as a classroom assistant to build up my knowledge of educational issues and the curriculum."

Racheal Beck, 29, of Great Harwood is in her NQT year at Turton Primary after following the Graduate Training Programme and working at Roe Lee Primary. She left behind a career in accountancy.

She said: "The children understand what is going on and really respect that you are learning too. It is a team effort to get you through but worth every minute."

Head teacher Stewart Plowes said: "The programme offers more continuity but there is less theory training so they have to make up that time. As a result we get someone who learns how things work here at the school from the beginning."