Other than teaching in a classroom, professionals with a teaching degree (and licensure) may have many opportunities to put their education and skills to good use. They can find work in the extended field of education programs.
A career pivot may also be interesting to teachers who have worked in the classroom and are ready to try something new. The experience they have as educators is often valued by and transferable to many different education-related ventures in curriculum and instruction. While a degree in education may not lead to the following positions, the skills taught within an education degree may be transferable to each of the positions. It is also important to conduct research on these roles as some of them may require a graduate degree.
To find more jobs for teachers outside of education, consider the following careers for education majors:
1. Write Curriculum or Instructional Coordination
Education graduates and experienced teachers may possess skills that can be applied to a career in curriculum writing.2 A curriculum writer or an instructional coordinator is responsible for developing various learning materials, activities and instructional guides. Alternatively, they may be tasked to create new programs in emerging subjects such as social-emotional skills, mindfulness and career readiness.
Curriculum writers may create educational materials including:
- Lesson plans
- Teacher guides
- Assessment items
- Video scripts for lessons
- Games workbooks
This role may be right for teachers who enjoy developing curriculum and want to use their knowledge to work with a large number of students and teachers.
2. Educational Policy, Administration and Top Executive
Other jobs for teachers may include careers in shaping educational policy.2 Professionals in this field investigate and communicate the impact that policies and other forms of legislation would have on students and teachers.
They collect research to use in their recommendations and write briefs on key issues in education. A degree related to education is important in this area since an educational policy expert must be just that — an expert. Studying teaching practices and pedagogy can be an invaluable first step toward a career in this field.
3. Admissions or Career Counselor
Generally, people who complete a teaching degree program care about education and want students to feel the same passion for their own fields of study. This can make working as a college admissions counselor a potentially rewarding alternative for teachers who enjoy getting to know students’ strengths, needs and interests.3
Admissions counselors help potential and incoming college students make decisions about their educational path. They can help students decide what to major in or which classes to take. Admissions counselors may also help students find extra help or become familiar with the resources available on campus.
4. Training and Development or Tutoring
Education graduates who like to teach but prefer a non-classroom environment may enjoy the flexibility involved in training or tutoring.2 These roles often provide additional assistance to students or groups of students in a variety of subject areas. By being able to train and help develop people within various subjects, it can be a valuable skill to utilize.
Tutoring can take place in the student’s home, the tutor’s home or a designated tutoring center. For many, tutoring can provide a more adaptable learning environment in which the teaching style can be modified to fit the preferences and cognitive styles of the individual student and tutor.
5. Educational Consultant
There are several types of educational consultants. For example, an educational consultant may work with a school system on improvements or help special needs families navigate the education system. Some educational consultants focus on helping students and families choose schools.4
Families may not necessarily be education program experts and may need help in understanding all their options. Graduates with teaching degrees can choose to work as school choice consultants to help them make personalized decisions about college admissions and career goals.4
School choice consultants first get to know the students, including what they want and need from a college education. They then use their information and training to make appropriate recommendations.4