Every child deserves the right to education. However, according to UNESCO, there are still 773 million illiterate adults worldwide. UNICEF strives hard to ensure equitable and inclusive education for all in its Global Education 2030 Agenda and the Education 2030 Framework of Action and SDG4. You can also make a difference in the education environment of the world by involving yourself in this field.
Making a career in education introduces you to various rewarding jobs that help you impact the world for the better. There is a suitable job available for every type of person, regardless of their degree program, background, and experience level. You can get hired in some of the best institutions, from entry-level positions to managerial-level responsibilities depending on your knowledge and capabilities.
The skills that you achieve as an education major allow you to grow as a person and enjoy an impressive pay rate, which significantly improves and enriches the lives of individuals. Therefore, if you have a passion for gaining and sharing knowledge, are inclined to work in a wide variety of educational environments, including public and private schools, colleges and universities, libraries, etc., and want to make a big difference in today’s educational environment, you must look into professional education careers. Here are ten rewarding careers in education you can pursue:
1. Chief Academics Officer
After completing a higher-level degree in education, it’s okay to struggle with answering the question, “what can you do with a masters in education?” because the field offers you a wide variety of career pathways. The answer is simple: you explore all your options. A master’s degree allows you to apply for advanced positions such as a chief academic officer. The job of a chief academic officer revolves around directing, planning, coordinating, and monitoring programs in educational institutions. In this role, you earn a good salary package and play a significant role in the lives of students of tomorrow by researching and creating improved academic courses.
2. School Principal
Once you’ve gained experience in the education sector, you can even apply for more challenging roles like a school principal. As a school principal, you manage and oversee everything in your institution. You are in charge of it all, from developing educational policies to implementing disciplinary behavior to staff training and public relations. Suppose you want to succeed in this occupation. In that case, you must focus on satisfying all stakeholders of an education system, including students, parents, staff members, etc.
3. Postsecondary Administrator
Suppose you’re inclined to engage in managerial responsibilities across various educational activities. In that case, you must look into the job of a postsecondary administrator. This position allows you to research and gather data that helps substantiate different policies. As a postsecondary administrator, you are also involved in promotional activities, advisory tasks, academic issues, financial aid, etc. Since this profession deals with various educational aspects, you will better fit into this environment if you enroll in additional courses like educational leadership, school finance, educational law, etc., that help you build more credibility in your abilities.
4. Assistant Principal
An assistant principal is an essential part of an educational institute’s administrative team. If you believe you have a knack for supervision and administrative capabilities. In that case, this profession is the right fit for you. Your job description will revolve around creating professional development programs, coordinating resources, ensuring safety and security, monitoring teacher and academic program performance, providing feedback, etc. However, if you want to do well in this career, you must build advanced-level skills relevant to the requirements of this profession.
5. College Professor
Suppose you’ve completed a degree in education and have always been inclined towards a specific subject. In that case, you can advance your career as a college professor. However, in most cases, you will have to pursue a doctoral-level degree in the subject you plan to teach so you’re better equipped to share your knowledge. As a college professor, delivering lectures, assisting students, and serving committees can be exciting. You get to shape the future of graduating students. Hence, they are better prepared to dive into a world of possibilities.
6. Instructional Coordinator
Planning and creating academic courses for students is crucial for the educational spectrum. The course you design as an instructional coordinator makes or breaks the lives of thousands of students. Play a role in changing what the students of tomorrow study by researching more promising methods of instruction, choosing the best textbooks, offering instructional material and resources, implementing advanced classroom technology, and measuring student performance. If this is something you are interested in, you must look into the profession of an instructional coordinator.
7. Special Education Teachers
According to UNICEF, 240 million children are born with special needs (emotional, mental, or physical disabilities). But does that mean they don’t have a right to education? No. This is where special education teachers come in. The role of these teachers revolves around instructing special children in individualized education programs (IEP). If you are interested in the field, create lesson plans that target special student needs. You can perform exceedingly well in this role if you complete a psychology or sociology degree alongside your education degree.
8. Librarian
If you love books and reading, you will be delighted to know that you can make a promising career as a librarian. Apply for librarian opportunities in your preferred educational institutions to make money by managing information, taking care of books, retrieving new material and books, instructing students about lessons and resources, and encouraging students to read. You will have to polish your skills with an additional course, license, or certification in library science before you can apply for librarian jobs.
9. School Counselors
School counselors are crucial to every institute’s educational environment. They help students, teachers, staff members, and administrators find their place in their professional and personal pursuits. However, according to a survey, 8 million children in the US still don’t have access to a school counselor due to an insufficient number of people pursuing the field. Students must be able to actively reach out to school counselors for help with career direction, personal problems, mental health issues, and other struggles. If you have exceptional communication skills and have an empathetic attitude in interactions, you must apply for school counselor jobs. By doing so, you can play a significant role in the overall development of students so they can better counter the challenges of life.
10. Career and Technical Education Teacher
In the current educational environment, educational institutes are not only focusing on a child’s basic subject academic development but are also valuing their growth in other aspects of life too, like culinary arts, tourism, hospitality, information technology, healthcare, auto repair, etc. Nowadays, institutes offer a wide variety of subjects a child can enroll in to develop skills necessary to enter their desired workforce type. Career and technical education teachers help create these opportunities for students by offering theoretical instruction and practical demonstration of their preferred field of work. Suppose you are interested in assisting students in building technical knowledge and expertise. In that case, you must train for and apply for these teaching roles in prestigious institutes.
Conclusion
Once you acquire a degree in education, you can pursue several different career paths mentioned above. There is a lot of variety in education careers as an education degree program teaches you various professional and personal skills. From interpersonal communication to critical thinking to classroom management – you learn how to pursue advanced roles in your education career. However, it would be best to plan out your career goals before enrolling in an advanced education program. Hence, you know exactly where you’re going once your studies are complete. Good luck in advancing from an education student to an experienced professional in the field!
