Alternative Careers for Teachers

A question on Quora inspired this short piece on Alternative Careers for Teachers. If you have been a teacher, I find it hard to fathom why the need for a change of career.

Teaching gives you a natural high, love from your students for a long time to come and the continuous opportunity to be a student too. You also get paid decently for all of this.    

Alternative careers for teachers without the need for additional qualifications 

1. IT Field Domain Expert – IT and Software companies do look out for domain experts. Being in the education field for a long time can be a big plus to get hired by these companies. Look out for companies that specialize in the education sector (both product or service companies will do). Digital disruptions too will usher in new jobs.
2. Toy Sector – The toy sector is a big booming sector with an evergrowing demand for kid toys, DIY models, etc. A teacher’s insight into next-generation toys 
3. Writing and Publishing – If writing comes naturally to you, then having an education career will give you impetus for hundreds of ideas for non-fiction books. Time spent understanding the way kids minds work can also lead you to write fiction for young readers.
4. Educational Consultant – Consult schools and their management on how to hire teachers, teacher training and retention, skill upgrade, conducting Parent-Teacher meetings, etc. Though it looks trivial, there is a dearth of people who can help school management teams avoid common pitfalls

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Alternative careers for teachers with some skill upgrade

1. Counseling – Having spent time with kids for a long time, counseling can be a natural extension. With a psychology certification course or a Masters degree, you can take up a very fulfilling career in counseling and coaching. You can become a life coach, a career counselor or a mentor for students at different stages of their career.
2. Blogging – Pen down your lifetime of experiences in the education field into a blog and make money from it. This takes time and effort. However, it comes with the advantage of passive income and gives you more flexibility. Some training in web technologies and digital marketing should be definitely taken up.
3. Podcasting / Youtubing – Use the knowledge base you have built in your time as a teacher. Podcasting or creating videos for a Youtube audience also earns you a lot of passive income.

Finally, whatever the career you choose, hard work and dedication will take you a long way. Unleash the entrepreneur in you. Do share your stories of career changes you might have tried. 

Here are a few other links to try

1. Alternative Jobs for Teachers Who Want to Make a Career Change
2. 10 Second Careers for Teachers that are High Paying

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