6 Non-Classroom Roles for Teaching Degree Grads

There are a number of reasons for people to earn a teaching degree. For many, it is because they hope to work in a classroom and impact the lives of students. But for others, earning a teaching degree is more about their own personal love of learning and interest in education.

Not all people who earn teaching degrees go on to work in the classroom. Instead, they can apply the skills they develop during a teaching degree program to other types of jobs. The transferable skills of a teaching degree graduate can be used in many diverse industries and work settings.

1. Curriculum Writer

Graduates of teaching programs of study possess all of the skills of a classroom teacher. They have completed student teaching experiences where they have led students in learning activities. They have taken courses on subject-matter content as well as pedagogical theory. This knowledge and experiences can be applied in a career in curriculum writing. A teaching degree graduate can work for textbook companies or educational technology companies that provide curriculum. They can write lesson plans, teachers’ guides, assessment items and other learning materials. This role is great for a teaching degree graduate who is a strong written communicator.

2. Corporate Trainer

A graduate from a teaching program who does not want to run a school-based classroom but is still interested in interacting with learners might make a great corporate trainer. Trainers take the work of instructional designers and deliver the content to an audience. They often work within a corporation to teach new employees about processes and procedures. They may also work with human resources and other departments to engage all employees in developing new skills. One of the benefits that may come along with being a corporate trainer is travel, so teaching degree graduates who are interested in using their teaching skills while getting to check out new places may want to dive into corporate training.

3. Sales

Sales can be a great career for graduates with a teaching degree who enjoy verbal communication. During their program, students prepare to stand in front of a class and explain things with clarity and detail. These skills certainly apply to working with potential customers. Sales also involves showing enthusiasm for the information that you are sharing, a skill that teachers work to develop to engage students. Additionally, people in sales have to be able to connect with others and build relationships, skills that teachers also form during their degree program.

4. Life Coach

Life coaches help people work through multiple aspects of their lives. They may help people make healthier choices or counsel them through overwhelming times. They can help clients become more organized or better equipped to lead an authentic life. Like a salesperson, a life coach seeks to develop deep relationships with their clients in order to help them do their best. A teaching degree graduate can excel as a life coach by using both the research and people skills they developed in their degree program.

5. Educational Policy Expert

Most positions in educational policy are in research, government, higher learning institutions and private think-tanks. Professionals in this field share the impact that policies and other forms of legislation would have on students and teachers. They collect research to use in their recommendations and often 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 is an invaluable first step to a career in the field.

6. Tutor

Education graduates who would like to teach but don't prefer a classroom environment may enjoy the flexibility involved in tutoring. A tutor provides additional assistance to a student or group of students in a variety of subject areas and in addition to their classroom learning. Tutoring can take place in the home of the student or tutor or in a designated tutoring center. For many, tutoring provides a much more adaptable learning environment in which the teaching style can be modified to fit the preferences of the student or tutor.

If you earn your teaching degree and ultimately decide that classroom teaching is not the career for you, there are still plenty of options. When you enroll in the College of Education at Grand Canyon University, you will have the support of your peers and professors as you find the right career path.