To Teach or Not to Teach: An insight into careers in the education sector
Psst…you don’t have to teach to have a rewarding career in the education sector
Despite its often questionable reputation in the press, the education sector can be an incredibly rewarding place to begin your career and is still proving to be a popular career path for graduates. There is a misconception, however, that you have to go into teaching to succeed within the sector, which is why we welcomed a panel of speakers working in various roles — providing our students with a true insight into the role, what it entails, how they got there, and some tips and tricks to help them succeed. Here’s what we found out;
Meet the panel
Scott Brierley | School Business Manager | St Thomas More Catholic School
Scott studied Business Studies at the University of Birmingham. Alongside his studies, he had various roles working alongside the Guild in order to build on his skills and experiences. After graduation, Scott was still unsure what he wanted from his career, so he explored various roles working in a care home, marketing, and finance before moving into the education sector. As School Business Manager, Scott now manages the day-to-day operations of a secondary school, which includes their finance, marketing, and building operations — so no two days are the same!
Neena Chauhan | Project Manager | Fircroft College
After graduating from the University of Birmingham with a degree in Social Policy, Neena worked in various roles within the finance, HR, and marketing sectors. By developing her skills in a number of key areas, Neena developed her project management skills which allowed her to secure a role at Fircroft College where she leads on large projects which aim to provide free English lessons to disadvantaged adults. At present, she is currently working on a project which will provide English classes to women in refugees who have been the victims of domestic violence or trauma.
Sarah Fellows | Heritage Engagement Manager | Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust
After completing an undergraduate in Geology and Archaeology, Sarah went on to complete a Masters in Heritage Management at the University of Birmingham. She has over 12 years of experience working in various roles within the heritage sector and currently works with the Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust. Here she leads on the activities which aim to engage a wide range of audiences with the past. This includes school visits, family events, and community learning.
A large part of Sarah’s role is understanding what people are interested in, and learning how to use that to educate and engage them. The variety of the role gives Sarah the opportunity to always learn something new — most recently she’s developed skills in using Virtual Reality and 360 photography.
Sarah Hess | Graduate Management Trainee | University of Birmingham
Sarah completed an internship for a Children’s charity before returning to University to complete a Masters in History, where she helped deliver a number of summer schools. Sarah then applied for the University’s Graduate Management Scheme, completing a number of placements across various departments within the University.
Sarah’s current placement is focussing on the University’s new strategic framework, where she is leading engagement workshops with staff and students to inform and shape the strategic direction of the University for the next five years.
Ruth Till | Geography Teacher/PhD Student| King Edwards VI High School for Girls/University of Birmingham
Ruth completed a degree in Geography at the University of Birmingham, later returning to complete her teaching qualification. She has held a number of teaching roles within a variety of different schools and is now completing a Ph.D. alongside her leadership teaching role at a local Secondary School.
Opportunities
Whether you want to teach, coach, train, research, lead or project manage — there really is a wide breadth of roles within the education sector.
So volunteer, intern, get some work experience, speak to professionals or seek out a mentor. This will not only build your CV and develop key skills but will help you explore different options and work out what you’re passionate about and what area of the education sector you’re interested in.
Job Search
Our panel found their roles in a variety of ways, so make use of the tools available to you to ensure you don’t miss that dream job opportunity. That includes social media, websites, Careers Connect, LinkedIn, Networking events and newsletters (e.g. jobs.ac.uk).
If you’re planning to go into a particularly niche or competitive sector, consider looking at a postgraduate qualification which will give your application more weight. For example, Sarah (Heritage Engagement Manager) completed a Heritage Management Masters, setting her up with the skills and expertise required to excel in that sector.
Application Processes
This can vary from role to role, so if you’re focussing on a teaching role, you’ll likely be asked to deliver a lesson plan to a small group of students alongside a formal interview.
If you’re going for an operational role, you’ll probably go through a formal interview process that may involve a presentation or task.
If you’re going for a graduate management scheme like Sarah, this can include psychometric tests, written tests, assessment centres, and a formal interview.
It’s important that you also use the application process to get a better feel for the role and organisation and whether its the right fit for you. For example, Ruth (Geography Teacher) has been in interviews where she has turned down positions because it didn’t feel like it was the right school or environment for her, so think of it as a two-way conversation.
Top Tip: Remember that your passion and professionalism are what make you shine above the rest.
The Benefits
Always learning
The education sector provides you with so much opportunity to learn and develop, whether that’s new teaching approaches or new skills. For example, if you’re teaching a new module, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with that topic before teaching your students.
There is always lots of scope to get involved in other aspects of the organisation, so don’t pass up on any key opportunities that come your way — you never know where it may take you.
Salary Benefits
Working in education also has a lot of salary benefits especially as you become more experienced, and by taking on more responsibility, you’ll quickly move up the salary scale.
Stability
The education sector is a very stable area to work in where you’re encouraged to develop into leadership positions or move around different areas. You’re also supported through trade unions, HR, occupational health, professional development, and support networks.
Top Tips
Don’t focus on your degree
Don’t focus too much on your undergraduate degree and whether it’s relevant to the role. It’s your passion, skills, and experiences that carry the most weight in your application and it’s important you figure out what you like and dislike before completing a postgraduate qualification — so volunteer and get key work experience.
Assertiveness
This is a key skill that many people find difficult but by learning and practicing assertiveness, you will build the confidence to speak to senior colleagues or parents to ensure that something gets done, and gets done properly to achieve that key outcome.
So be confident in your skills, knowledge, and abilities and assert that when you’re faced in a challenging situation.
Love what you do
A recurring theme throughout the event was ensuring that you love what you do and the organisation you’re working in. Not only will this have an impact on your wellbeing, but it also impacts your peers and students. By going into a career that you love, you’ll produce your best work and have a positive impact on your students, peers, and organisation as a whole (it also helps to shake off those Monday blues each morning). So experiment, and don’t feel tied into a career if it isn’t right for you.
With patience comes resilience
More often than not, you’ll have jobs early on in your career which may be more challenging or just aren’t the right fit for you. It’s important to remember to be patient and not jump ship too soon, because these roles will give you the opportunity to learn how not to be, and what you do and don’t agree with. So make sure you take the time to reflect and learn, as this is crucial in building your resilience which you’ll take with you throughout the rest of your career journey.
Age isn’t everything
Don’t be intimidated by the fact that someone may have more experience than you, it doesn’t mean that they are a better fit for the job. Often, youth can be on your side, particularly where you’re working in education because you can relate to a younger audience. Ultimately though, if you’re passionate about what you do, you stand just as much chance as a more experienced person.
Scott (Business School Manager) explained that despite some tough internal and more experienced competition, he was successful in his interview because of his innovative approaches and his passion for safeguarding students.
This is starting to also be reflected in pay rewards, where you are no longer automatically moved up the salary scale each year, but you have to prove key outputs.
If you’d like more support on exploring roles within the education sector, visit our website, complete our canvas course, come along to an employer event, or book an appointment with a Careers Adviser.
