When Lucy Hoyle qualified as a full-time teacher in 2017, the single mum was looking forward to providing a more stable income for her daughter.
Now, six years later, the Manchester-based primary teacher is joining thousands of her colleagues on strike in a fight for fairer pay and conditions.
The 33-year-old Year 1 teacher has seen funding for schools plummet in the years since qualifying and freely admits to having to pay for books and supplies from her own pocket.
Lucy, from Trafford, has even had to take on a second job tutoring on the side in order to pay her bills and provide for her daughter.
"The idea teachers start work at 8am and finish at 3pm is just wrong," she tells the Mirror.
"If I only worked those hours and actually took my weekends and holiday off, the children would not be getting the education they need."
Since Covid, teachers like Lucy have seen pressure mount as children struggle to catch up with lost learning whilst battling a mental health crisis among young people.
But despite this, many teachers have seen resources drop, with Lucy admitting that cuts have been felt the hardest by the most vulnerable children, such as those experiencing poverty or special educational needs.
"When I first came into the education world outside agencies would come into class all the time and work with the kids," she said.
"All the funding for these things has just gone, and the children are suffering as a result."
She added: "Teachers don't come into it for the money, 100% it's about caring and supporting children get a good education.
"But what is it telling the future generations about society, that caring for people isn't what's rewarded in society? That it pays more to be a ruthless business person than helping people?"
Today, Lucy will down tools and join hundreds of colleagues on the National Education Union picket line at St Peter's Square in Manchester city centre.
The union is just one sector striking on a day which will be the biggest of industrial action seen by this country in more than a decade seeing the likes of bus drivers and civil servants walk out, too.
Joining her is 37-year-old former teacher Amy Sarthou, who fully left the profession last year to help schools with children who don't speak English, including refugees escaping war in Ukraine.
Amy, who is also a mum, says she too has had to dip into her own pockets to pay for things such as books and classroom supplies.
"I used to buy all the early years books when I was in the classroom full time," she admits.
"My colleagues too would be buying things like pens, rubbers and other stationery. But when it comes to the future generation, we're not just talking about pens and pencils these days. There are computers and technology schools need to keep up with, too.
"There are plenty of schools with leaking classrooms that we can't afford to fix."
Pupils at around 85% of schools are expected to be affected today as thousands of teachers walk out, with many ministers hitting out at striking teachers for the interruption to children's education.
Responding the the backlash, Lucy said: "We are more than happy to give schools a day off for the King's coronation later this year, so one day for strikes is not going to impact on learning. Afterwards, we'll be straight back in the classroom.
"I'm striking because I have a voice and I want to use it. I also think it's important to show the younger generation that, when something isn't right, you make a stand.
"Teachers have been undervalued for long enough."
You can follow The Mirror's live coverage of today's strikes here.
