Teaching assistant (United Kingdom)
Common progression routes
### Common progression routes

Despite the many qualifications available for teaching assistants, many do not have any formal training, and instead build up experience over many years. Those that do study often choose the NVQ Level 2 and/or 3 qualification, as it is the most widely studied in the profession.

Those that want to become a teaching assistant often come from [nursery](/wiki/Nursery_school "Nursery school") backgrounds and have qualifications in [childcare](/wiki/Childcare "Childcare"). These are seen as good starting points for those new to the occupation.


Why are nursery and childcare backgrounds seen as good starting points for teaching assistants?