7 CAREER CHANGE IDEAS FOR TEACHERS
Are you a teacher who is looking for a career change? Whether you want to reduce your workload or get a more flexible role, are looking for a new challenge, or just need a break from the classroom environment, there are plenty of options for teachers.
Teachers have lots of transferable skills that are highly valued in workplaces, such as organization skills, creativity, communication skills, confidence, and problem-solving abilities.
So, if you want ideas for your career change, here are 7 options for teachers to consider:
1. Private tutoring
Private tutoring can be a flexible, profitable alternative to classroom teaching. Tutors are always in high demand, as families need a tutor for lots of reasons, like passing an exam, getting into university, catching up after a break in education, additional learning needs, or falling behind.
If this is something you’re interested in, you can find work through agencies and online tutoring companies, or by setting up your own business.
There are many benefits to this option. It gives you a break from the classroom, but you still work face-to-face with students. It gives you more freedom to choose your own rates, hours, location, and subjects.
Plus, tutoring can be more rewarding as teaching smaller groups or one-to-one means many students will make much more progress than normal.
2. Corporate training
Another option for ex-teachers is corporate training. This involves mentoring and coaching employees, as well as planning and running professional training courses.
Many companies run their own training courses for professional development and hire training coordinators for this, but there are also options for freelancers, as it’s common for businesses to outsource training. It can even be done online, as there is a growing demand for online courses.
Qualified teachers are well-placed for this career as they have an understanding of learning styles and strategies, and they also have great communication and interpersonal skills.
3. Human resources
Some of the transferable skills that come with being a teacher, like organization skills and people skills, mean that a career in human resources can be another good fit for ex-teachers.
The daily tasks in human resources include updating employment records, handling new starters, and promotions, terminating contracts, and explaining policies to current employees.
If this is a career you’re considering, you may need to retrain or take a new qualification. There are various qualifications available for anyone who wants a career as an HR professional.
4. Learning support
A learning support assistant is responsible for working with an individual or small group of students who are struggling or have additional learning needs. They provide learning interventions and specialist support to students that need it the most.
As an ex-teacher, if you choose this career, you will already have an advantage, as you have experience supporting students with different learning needs in the classroom.
This career choice can be very rewarding, as it involves less planning, assessments, marking work, and the other burdens that are on teachers, and more on helping students directly.
Learning support staff get to know their students better than teachers, as they spend more one-to-one time with them. This can also mean they make much faster progress.
5. Consultancy
Consultancy is a fantastic option for teachers. This role involves visiting businesses and offering advice on business strategy, operations and management, and training and development.
Consultants need skills that teachers already have, including problem-solving and strong face-to-face communication. There can be a heavy workload with consultancy work, but there are lots of opportunities for progression.
There are consultancy opportunities available in most sectors, but many teachers decide to work in the education sector, as this is where they have experience.
Education consultants are experienced teachers that support schools with their improvement plans, giving advice on how to improve exam results, behavior, and management strategies.
6. Events planner
Planning events requires patience, amazing organizational skills, and attention to detail – things that teachers already have. This makes event planning a great career change idea for teachers.
Events planners are responsible for organizing business or social events. This includes contacting vendors to arrange services, speaking to clients to determine their needs, and making sure the event runs smoothly on the day.
7. Youth worker
A youth worker is someone who works with children and young adults, with the focus being mainly on their personal development, but also their academic development.
Youth workers support and mentor young people so they can gain more confidence and build core life skills through creative outlets, sports, and other activities.
This can be a very rewarding career option for ex-teachers, as it involves working directly with children. Teachers also have a lot of skills that are helpful in youth work, like communication skills, leadership skills, compassion, and planning and organizing.
