If you are interested in education but don’t want to be a school teacher, there are many excellent alternative careers for teachers.
An M.Ed opens up a host of alternative opportunities in the field of education. If you don’t want to be a teacher but love education, you can use your leadership, teaching/mentoring skills, imagination and creativity in other related professions. A tuition-free M.Ed is available at UoPeople. The M.Ed at UoPeople is a graduate-level program designed to train students for dynamic careers in education, childcare, and community leadership. It opens up many possibilities for alternative non-teaching careers too. We have selected 10 alternative careers for teachers that you may want to consider.
Top 10 Alternative Careers for Teachers
1. Career guidance counselor
Choosing a career can be an overwhelming process. Making decisions is easier for some than for others and some people need a little help along the way. A career guidance counsellor is responsible for helping people to assess their abilities, and providing information and advice on educational and training options to help them make decisions and choose the right direction.
2. School administrator
If you love organizing, enjoy working with people, and have good interpersonal and communication skills, school administration could be a great option for you. This would involve lots of contact with children, staff, and parents and would require sensitivity and confidentiality. All you need are good computer skills and a can-do attitude. You get to stay in a school environment, continue working with children, staff, and parents, but without the pressure of the classroom. If you want to brush up on your computer skills, try taking an evening class at a local Adult Education Institute or take some free courses online at Alison or Lynda.
3. Librarian
If you enjoy working in a learning and academic environment and you love to work independently, a librarian could be an option for you. The job of a librarian is to be responsible for providing access to information and managing the library facilities, which may be in a public library, a school, or a university.
4. Private Tutor
If you have a passion for teaching, but want a break from the classroom, choose a subject or subjects that you would like to teach and start advertising for private students. There is always a demand and if you are patient, knowledgeable, and a good teacher, you will gain most of your students by recommendation. Some students fall behind in school for a host of legitimate reasons, such as insufficient attention, poor teaching, learning disabilities, attention disorders, or emotional and behavioural issues. In order for them to pass exams and gain qualifications, those who can afford it, will have the privilege of being able to provide 1:1 education for their children after school.
There is also the option to teach adults. Adults may want to learn a language, including English, art, music, or may want to improve their literacy or math skills. If you have good computer skills, you can also teach Microsoft or Adobe programs. Due to the technology gap, there is a demand for teaching computer skills to the elderly or anyone who may have difficulty with the fast pace of technological change in society today.
5. Corporate trainer
If you would like to use your transferable teaching and leadership skills in the corporate world, there are some interesting options. You could teach company employees a variety of subjects, including: sales skills, negotiation skills, business writing, or digital marketing. There are many courses available on Udemy and Lynda in which you can brush up or learn from scratch business skills at very reasonable prices. These online courses are taught by highly experienced professionals and the courses can be done anytime, anywhere. You can also check out the evening and part-time courses available in your hometown, but bear in mind that face-to-face courses are usually significantly more expensive.
Source: Unsplash
6. Adult literacy teacher
Adult literacy courses are usually taught in Adult Education Institutes, part-time during the day or evening. This gives you the perfect option to work part-time if you need to balance other commitments. Adult literacy learners may be immigrants looking to improve their literacy in order to get a job or progress in their profession. They may also be adults who simply never learned to read. This may be as a result of undiagnosed learning disabilities or emotional/behavior problems at school. This is an extremely rewarding job as you are opening up new opportunities and improving the confidence and self-esteem of your students.
7. Parenting coach/educator
Every parent wishes the best for their child, but sometimes parenting can be a challenge. A parent needs to not just care for their child but to understand their emotions, behavior, and psychological state of mind. Parents are not experts in every subject and often need a little help along the way. They need to be advised what to do when a toddler refuses to sleep in his bed at night, when a baby wakes too frequently, when a young child has tantrums, and when a school child has behavior problems.
As a parenting coach, you can work hours that suit your schedule. In order to work with young children, you will require a background in Early Childhood Education. Your leadership, patience, and mentoring skills can be put to good use to help parents as well as children. If you love working with young children and enjoy helping people, this could be the perfect job for you.
Source: Unsplash
8. Writer
Your great communication skills can be put to excellent use by becoming a writer. There is always a demand for content writers, technical writers, and copywriters. Content writers are hired to produce engaging content for use online. Technical writers communicate complex matters in a simplified way, e.g., writing instructions for a software program, writing an instruction manual, or writing helpful guides on a website. If you have a creative flair, then copywriting could be the job for you. This involves using your creative writing skills to sell products by dreaming up catchy advertising slogans, writing product literature, and producing copy for emails, websites, or blogs.
9. Social worker
If you enjoy helping people, a career as a social worker could be just the right job for you. Social workers are responsible for protecting vulnerable people and helping families and children to deal with the difficulties and challenges in their lives.
In order to be a social worker, you will need an M.S.W., Master of Social Work.
10. Personal coach
Teachers have the great advantage of knowing how to teach and coach others. Ever thought about becoming a personal coach? For personal coaching you will need a coaching diploma which may take approximately a year. You can then build your own business and take on private clients!
Coaching is designed to help people to take the required steps of action in order to achieve their desired goals, objectives, and dreams. People often feel stuck, with difficult decisions to make, procrastination problems, and have many obstacles that are preventing them from taking action to achieve their objectives. Coaching is a mentoring relationship in which you will guide, direct, and help provide pathways to the client’s desired goal. According to the National Careers Service in the UK, life coaches earn $38 – $77 per session and Executive Coaches can earn up to $383 per hour. According to a study by the International Coach Federation, the average income of a life coach is $61,900 in North America, $55,300 in Western Europe, and $37,800 in Asia.
Teachers who want something totally different
Are you looking for a major change and want to do something totally different?
If your background is in mathematics, you could become a high-earning actuary, a financial advisor, or a statistician. According to Glassdoor, an actuary in the USA earns an average salary of $128,987.
If you are a language person, you could go into public relations, human resources, or marketing. Your communication and interpersonal skills would be great for HR and for PR and your language skills would be a major asset in marketing. If you work your way up the career ladder in the field of marketing, an average senior marketing manager can earn $61,172 in the UK, according to Payscale, and $97,895 in the USA.
7 Quick Tips to Make the Transition
- Make a list of all your transferable skills
- Choose your intended career direction and goal
- Re-write your CV from scratch, emphasizing all your transferable skills
- Research jobs on Glassdoor, Indeed, LinkedIn, Facebook, and register with some recruitment agencies
- Prepare answers to common interview questions
- Take some courses to brush up your skills or to retrain completely
- Start making applications
Changing careers can be daunting at first, especially if you have been teaching for a long time. You may be apprehensive at first, but once you have made the decision to change, do your research and make that change today. Don’t procrastinate, just do it!
FAQs
What can I do with a PGCE other than teach? ›
- Teaching- ...
- Education Liaison Officer- ...
- Activities Leader/play worker. ...
- Private or group tuition-
- Community education officer.
- Early years teacher.
- Education administrator.
- Education consultant.
- Education mental health practitioner.
- English as a foreign language teacher.
- Further education teacher.
- Learning mentor.
- Career counselor.
- Academic coach.
- Camp director.
- Student coordinator.
- Child care director.
- Lifestyle coach.
- Substance abuse counselor.
- Corporate trainer.
- Test Developer. ...
- Educational Product and Supply Professional. ...
- Instructional Technology Specialist. ...
- Education Nonprofit Employee. ...
- Online Teacher. ...
- Educational Consultant. ...
- Microschool/Pandemic Pod Teacher. ...
- HR Learning and Development Specialist.
- Youth worker. ...
- Education coordinator. ...
- School counsellor. ...
- Education recruitment consultant. ...
- Education consultant. ...
- Education welfare officer. ...
- Campus recruiter. ...
- Archivist.
Professor
When you are looking for the best-paid teaching jobs for your area of interest or specialized skill, then you may consider working as a professor in a college or university. A college professor prepares course material, teaches students in a classroom environment, and grades student work.
Teaching is certainly the most commonly known career path for students earning a degree in education, and it's a great option if you like working with children or adults in a classroom setting. Teachers prepare and educate their students for the world.
What do ex teachers do? ›Primary duties: Working as a tutor is an excellent option for a former teacher as it aligns with your experience in education. Tutors often work on a self-employed basis, which enables you to make your own working hours.
What is the best university for a teaching degree UK? ›- University of Oxford. The University of Oxford offers several postgraduate education programmes, including a doctor of philosophy (DPhil) in education, as well as several master of science (MSc) education degrees. ...
- University of Cambridge. ...
- UCL. ...
- University of Edinburgh. ...
- King's College London.
Teachers may choose to work at a school library, allowing them to work directly with students and directly apply their teaching skills. Alternatively, they may choose to work at a public library or other specialised libraries based on their personal areas of interest.
What can you do with a degree in education besides teach? ›
- social worker.
- museum education officer.
- community education officer.
- academic librarian.
- careers adviser (higher education)
- education administrator.
- teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) or teaching English as a second language (TESL)
Is teaching a good career choice? Again – yes! Whether you get into teaching for a few years or a lifelong career, it's a respected profession that is sure to enhance your professional skills in many ways. Firstly, you'll build skills such as organization, motivating others, coaching, creativity and public speaking.
What can teachers do if they don't want to teach? ›- School Guidance Counselor. Counseling is a natural choice for many former teachers. ...
- School Administrator. ...
- Instructional Coordinator. ...
- Educational Consultant. ...
- Librarian. ...
- College or University Academic Advisor.
- coaching after-school athletics.
- advising after-school clubs.
- becoming a department head.
- becoming a mentor for new teachers.
- helping with after-school tutoring programs.
- administering and grading placement exams.
- teaching summer school programs.
Many a times we have to eat in class. Sometimes we don't even get time to take loo breaks. Admission and assessment times are extremely tortuous for us. There are events to prepare for, targets to meet, we all do work beyond our office hours.
When should I quit teaching? ›Teaching leaves you more exhausted than it leaves you energized/excited. It is normal to have a rough day at work, especially as a teacher. But if you find yourself exhausted 179 out of 180 days that you are in the classroom, consider it a flashing neon sign that it's time for you to make a change.
Is there life after teaching? ›Life after teaching – a rich and robust career lays ahead
Even if teaching isn't for you, you can put your existing skills and training to use in a variety of other jobs retrain for a completely different career.
As a full-time teacher we get paid to work 1265 hours a year. This equates to 32.5 hours a week. This only covers the school day and it isn't possible to get all the work done in school time. As we get 13 weeks holiday a year we get our pay back in that way.”
Which teaching job is best? ›- Health educator.
- High school teacher.
- English as a second language (ESL) teacher.
- Librarian.
- Learning and development coordinator.
- Director of student services.
- Guidance counselor.
- Education consultant.
- Art.
- Biology.
- Chemistry.
- English.
- French.
- Health & PE.
- Mathematics.
- Music Education.
Which country has highest teacher salary? ›
Switzerland ranks among the countries with the highest teacher salaries in the world. According to sources, a high school teacher is entitled to a compensation of 71,500 Fr (US $73,646.93) at the start of their career, including bonuses, overtime allowances, and tips.
What are different careers in education? ›OCCUPATION | ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION | 2021 MEDIAN PAY |
---|---|---|
High School Teachers | Bachelor's degree | $61,820 |
Instructional Coordinators | Master's degree | $63,740 |
Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers | Bachelor's degree | $61,350 |
Librarians and Library Media Specialists | Master's degree | $61,190 |
You can find teachers in schools, colleges, universities, schoolyards, on computers, in offices, in classrooms, and at home grading papers. The working conditions of teachers, which includes the convenience of most school hours and having summers off, have always contributed to the appeal of the teaching profession.
What are some career ideas? ›- School teacher.
- Professor.
- Flight attendant.
- Sales representative.
- Physical therapist.
- Engineer.
- Database administrator.
- Registered nurse.
Teachers often cite working conditions, such as the support of their principals and the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues, as the top reason for leaving. More than 1 in 4 teachers who leave say they do so to pursue other career opportunities.
Why do people leave teaching? ›For those planning to leave within two years, workload was the key motivation for 65% of respondents, while concerns about the level of trust in teachers from the public and government were also a significant factor.
How many teachers are quitting? ›In a typical year, about 8 percent of teachers leave, but this year saw more teachers leave in the middle of the school year than normal.
Which uni is best for PGCE? ›- University of Cambridge. University League Table. ...
- Durham University. University League Table. ...
- UCL (University College London) University League Table. ...
- University of Warwick. ...
- The University of Edinburgh. ...
- University of Southampton. ...
- University of Birmingham. ...
- University of Bristol.
...
Top 10 Best Countries For Education.
Country | Belgium |
---|---|
Average QS World University Rankings Score | 42.3 |
Mean PISA Reading Score | 493 |
Mean PISA Maths Score | 508 |
Mean PISA Science Score | 499 |
You can do an undergraduate degree that leads to qualified teacher status (QTS), for example: Bachelor of Education (BEd) Bachelor of Arts (BA) with QTS. Bachelor of Science (BSc) with QTS.
Is teaching a hard career? ›
There are a lot of tough jobs out there in the world, but some professions are also misunderstood, which only compounds the difficulty. Teaching is definitely a tough, misunderstood job.
What are the 5 career opportunities in physical education? ›- Physical Education Teacher: ...
- Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor: ...
- Sports Officer, Director of Physical Education and Sports: ...
- Inspector of Physical Education in Government Dept. ...
- Manager /Instructor of Health Club and Fitness centre.
- Sports Commentator.
- Police and paramilitary officers.
- Consultant. If you love what you do, but are ready to take your skills in a new direction, a career as a consultant might be the right fit for you. ...
- Web Developer. ...
- Teacher. ...
- Computer Support Specialist. ...
- Private Detective. ...
- Tax Preparer. ...
- Real Estate Agent. ...
- Coach.
Teaching, which was once considered a traditional profession, has once again become the new hot choice. The adoption of technology-driven teaching due to the pandemic has changed the industry and newer jobs are being created for key teaching roles.
Where can I teach without certification? ›For example, some private, charter and not-for-profit schools don't require applicants to have a teaching degree or hold state licensure. If you want to teach in the public school system (either as an elementary or high-school subject teacher), however, you will need a teaching license or teaching credential.
How do I quit teaching? ›- Assess Reasons for Leaving. You're not alone if you're wondering how to leave the teaching profession. ...
- Identify Transferable Skills. Teachers possess an array of impressive skills that make them well suited to many types of jobs. ...
- Explore Career Options. ...
- Plan an Exit Strategy.
A whopping 60% of teachers expressed they were stressed out. Many educators are considering leaving for the first time ever or have already left the profession altogether due to stress. Teachers work longer hours than many other positions, which often leads to burnout and stress.
Are teachers happy? ›A little more than half of teachers are satisfied with their jobs, and only 12 percent say they're “very satisfied” with their jobs, down from 39 percent in 2012. More than half of teachers said they likely wouldn't advise their younger self to pursue a career in teaching.
Why is teaching the best job? ›It gives you the chance to be continuously creative
Of course, there are increasing levels of accountability in teaching, but teachers are allowed to be creative in every lesson. Even in observations, in fact most of all in observations, lessons are encouraged to be creative and interesting to engage the students.
Teaching can sometimes feel like a thankless job, especially when dealing with difficult students or family members. In addition to dealing with difficult students or family members, some teachers also feel micromanaged by administrators.
What business can a teacher start? ›
- Offer private tutorship to pupils who need it. ...
- Independent School Sales Consultant. ...
- Work at a summer camp (or start your own) ...
- Become a freelance writer. ...
- Make money from blogging about what you know. ...
- Create and sell your expertise as a course.
State | Average Starting Salary |
---|---|
State Alabama | Average Starting Salary $38,477 |
State Alaska | Average Starting Salary $46,785 |
State Arizona | Average Starting Salary $34,068 |
State Arkansas | Average Starting Salary $33,973 |
- Pick up freelance work online. ...
- Test websites and apps. ...
- Pick up tasks on Amazon's Mechanical Turk. ...
- Take surveys for money. ...
- 5. Make money from your blog as an affiliate. ...
- Sell your wares on Etsy. ...
- Get advertising revenue from your blog or YouTube channel. ...
- Become an Instagram influencer.
- Don't Grade Everything. ...
- Let Students Know What's Going On. ...
- Explain Procedures and Expectations. ...
- How You Treat Students Matters. ...
- You Don't Know Every Kid's Home Life. ...
- Keep Your Sense of Humor. ...
- Socializing with Colleagues Is Good for You.
- The “why” ...
- Attend teaching conferences and start learning again. ...
- Get to know and connect with your students. ...
- Take a break. ...
- Collaborate with colleagues. ...
- Change the classroom structure.
Almost 2 in 5 teachers plan to quit in the next two years, according to a June survey of members of the American Federation of Teachers union.
Can you teach with just a PGCE? ›A PGCE-only course means you're not fully qualified to teach within a state school but you could teach in other environments, such as in adult education.
How hard is a PGCE? ›It can be a very intense nine months, at times balancing lesson planning, teaching, marking and your own assignment deadlines. Often starting with an academic focus, PGCE courses usually cover teaching and learning theory, managing classroom behaviour and current educational issues.
What is the difference between PGCE and QTS? ›QTS means you have qualified teacher status- this means that you are qualified to teach in any school in England. A PGCE is a post- graduate certificate in education. This means you have a Masters level certificate in the study of education. You can have QTS without a PGCE which will allow you to teach.
Do you need a PGCE to be a lecturer? ›You'll need a good degree pass, for example first class or upper second class, relevant to the subject you want to teach. You'll also need to have completed a postgraduate master's or PhD qualification, or be working towards one. It's common to have had academic work published.
Is PGCE pass or fail? ›
You'll have a number of lesson observations on each placement, carried out by both your teaching mentors and your university lecturers. You'll submit academic essays, and end up simply with a pass or a fail for the PGCE. You will also be judged against the Teachers' Standards to be awarded QTS.
How long is a PGCE course? ›The PGCE (Teaching Studies) is a thirty four week full time programme of study commencing in mid- September each year and is available to graduates with appropriate degree qualifications and experience of working/ volunteering with students.
Do you get paid for PGCE? ›If gaining a PGCE is important to you, check with your training provider before applying. You will receive an unqualified teacher's salary from your school, and the cost of your training will be covered, but you may be charged for your PGCE fees if awarded.
How many hours a week is PGCE? ›A PGCE is usually taught as a full-time postgraduate course, so expect at least 35 hours a week of lectures, as well as time needed to complete written assignments. There are some part-time PGCE courses that take two years to complete, but the majority of courses are full time.
How do I pass a PGCE? ›- Take out a loan. ...
- Quit your part-time job. ...
- Use your age as an advantage. ...
- Take snacks, water and coffee. ...
- Be professional. ...
- Get involved with extra-curricular activities. ...
- Have one day off a week. ...
- Buy personalised stamps.
Last year, the trainee teachers had to have an overall 40% to pass. This year, the pass mark has been lowered to 30% because of the decline in standards of the trainees.
Can you put PGCE after your name? ›should immediately follow the name. (b) diplomas and certificates come at the end of the list: BVC, CertMedEd/ PGCertMedEd, DCH, DEEA, DipCogTh, Dipl, DipLATHE, DiplBiol, DipPaeds, DipPsych, DTM&H, MRCP, PGCE. Individual preference should be followed in using the forms 'AB' (instead of 'BA') or 'AM' (instead of 'MA').
What happens if you fail QTS? ›If your assessment only provider is satisfied you've met the standards required to teach in England, you'll be awarded QTS and will be able to apply for teaching jobs in England. If you fail to meet the standards required for assessment only QTS , you can: re-apply when you've gained more relevant skills and experience.
Does a QTS expire? ›A. There is no time limit, following the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), by which NQTs have to start their induction. We do advise that they try to complete their induction as soon as possible after being awarded QTS, so as to build on and strengthen the skills gained during initial teacher training (ITT). Q.
How much do teachers get paid? ›State | Average Starting Salary |
---|---|
State Alabama | Average Starting Salary $38,477 |
State Alaska | Average Starting Salary $46,785 |
State Arizona | Average Starting Salary $34,068 |
State Arkansas | Average Starting Salary $33,973 |
Can you get a PGCE with a diploma? ›
The applicant must hold at least a bachelor's degree or three-year diploma evaluated at NQF level 6 (old structure) or NQF level 7 (new structure) (360 credits). The degree or diploma must include at least two school-related subjects.
How much a lecturer earns in UK? ›The average lecturer salary in the United Kingdom is £37,514 per year or £19.24 per hour. Entry level positions start at £30,310 per year while most experienced workers make up to £48,770 per year.