Best Jobs for Former Teachers

Recently I was involved in a conversation with a colleague who was reflecting on the career paths within education. They realized that other non-education paths are set up for a person to be able to shift or jump to roles in different industries. For instance, a trained technology professional can apply their skill set to big tech, oil & gas, medicine and so on. However, the education career path kind of assumes you will be an educator for your entire working life. Or maybe it is us educators that allow some limiting beliefs to keep us in one space forever. 

Nevertheless, you are curious about what other industries are looking for professionals with your skills as a former (or soon to be former) educator. The list might not surprise you, but the fact that you are already more than qualified to walk right into these roles with no additional certifications makes them highly appealing.

1. Corporate Trainer, or Learning and Development Specialist: In education, we use the term professional development or PD. In the outside corporate world, employee training programs are called "L&D" for learning and development. Designing curriculum and delivering training that helps companies upskill their employees is valuable work. If you are highly specialized to make online training more engaging, then you will be even more marketable. If this sounds interesting to you, check out my Digital Age of Teaching: Mastering Online Instruction program, which preps educators that are shifting into these types of careers.
2. Sales and Marketing Representatives: I know, I know....people tend to get all uncomfortable when it comes to sales jobs. However, as someone that has supported corporate sales teams, I can honestly tell you it is all about building relationships. We live in a time where human-to-human skills have been diminished in an increasingly digital app-driven world. Teachers are masters of interpersonal communication and connecting with people on an empathetic level. Many companies put a premium on these skills for any roles that are customer facing. Sales and marketing representatives that are able to make customers feel comfortable and form deeper relationships are highly successful. Teachers are primary candidates to do this work very well.
3. Project Managers: Name any industry and I'll tell you that project managers are likely some of the most in-demand professionals in that industry. Why? Because any company at any time will have an evolving list of big projects dominating their focus and budget. They want professionals that are adaptable, organized, strategic and focused on deadlines. Teachers craft plans and design strategy for projects every day. According to a 2023 article in LinkedIn, teachers are favorably positioned to be excellent project managers due to their skills at assessing available resources, setting realistic timelines and determining cost effective approaches to achieve success. Read the full article here.

As always, I am here to support you in your career transition efforts. Whether are leaving or staying education, I want to help you position yourself for the best outcome. Use this link to book a strategy call with me so we can design a plan that works for you: Book a strategy call with Akilah

Take care guys,

Akilah