If you’re looking for a career where you can improve the lives of others, then a career in education is a great place to start. Education provides people with the skills and knowledge they need to become successful, happy and fulfilled. Jobs in education offer exciting opportunities to work with children of all ages, help disadvantaged people and offers loads of room for progression within your career.
There are numerous career paths within the world of education. You could be a teacher, teaching assistant, learning supporter or even a tutor.
Within this guide, you will learn more about careers in education and their requirements as well as the different types of jobs available. Maybe you’ll be inspired to pursue one for yourself.
- Why work in education?
- What careers are available in the world of education?
- What skills are needed to work in education?
- What degrees help with a career in education?
1. Why work in education
You will always be in demand
In many subjects, particularly those teaching science and maths, there are often more teaching vacancies than candidates. If you are committed to a career in education, there’s always a good chance you will be able to find work. Many schools are oversubscribed with students so are always looking for new teachers to join them.
Fast paced, changing environment
Working in education is an ever-changing role. If you work as a teacher, you will see a different class every few hours, as well as teaching different topics. Every student learns differently, and so no two lessons will ever be the same.
You will be learning transferrable skills
Careers in education will teach you skills that are valuable to any employer. This means if you decide teaching isn’t for you, there will be many other doors that will open. Skills like confidence, organisation and communication are difficult to find and will always hold you in good stead when applying to roles.
2. What careers are available in education?
There are numerous career paths surrounding education, but a few of the most common are:
- Primary school teacher
- Secondary school teacher
- Teaching assistant
- Education coordinator
- Special educational needs (SEN) teaching assistant
3. What skills are needed to work in education?
The skills required within education roles vary depending on the job, and for teachers, it largely depends on the specialist subject. However, there are a few skills that would benefit you in any role within the world of education:
- Strong written and verbal communication skills. A huge part of teaching is effective communication, so these skills are crucial.
- Patience. People learn at different rates and for a successful career in education, patience is key.
- Creativity and innovation. To creatively solve problems, and to keep children engaged, educators have to think creatively and innovatively.
- Confidence. A career in education will involve addressing a room, be it talking to colleagues, parents or students.
- Organisation. No matter which career path you choose, a successful career in education will involve organisation. Teachers need to plan lessons, mark books and arrange assessments far in advance.
Secondary school teachers and higher education tutors usually teach their specialist subject, meaning they have a profound knowledge of their topic. If you wanted to pursue this kind of role, it’s a good idea to know which subject you want to teach and work from there.
4. What degrees help with a career in education?
Studying for a degree in education directly prepares you for a range of careers working with children and young people. To work as a primary or secondary school teacher (in England and Wales), you must have a degree and achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). You can obtain a QTS by completing a period of initial teacher training after your degree. Further information on qualifying to be a teacher can be found on the government’s ‘Get into Teaching’ website.
Some jobs within the education sector don’t require a QTS, if you are looking for this kind of job, here are a few roles you could consider:
- Community education officer
- Youth worker
- Education consultant
- Education mental health practitioner
- English as a foreign language teacher
- Special educational needs coordinator
- Teaching assistant
- Museum education officer
- Counsellor
- Careers adviser
- Child psychotherapist
Take a look at the Unitemps job search portal to see if we have any roles available within the education industry or get more career advice by reading our other articles.
Last updated on 10 October 2022
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