The present study explored what motivates male trainee primary school teachers for the profession. It also investigated the barriers they face and how they have overcome these barriers. The authors found three themes, which were related to potential barriers participants faced: physical contact with children; negative outsider perceptions; and working within a female orientated environment. The authors argue that three themes also emerged as motivators for the participants that enabled them to overcome the barriers they faced: perceiving the teaching profession as a positive career choice; experiencing a supportive working environment; and being perceived as positive role models.