July 30, 2020 | Joanna York
The COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing and has resulted in an economic recession that experts predict will last through 2021 in the US and beyond.
Unsurprisingly, most employers and employees are concerned about job security, and job seekers are worried about their chances of success in the current climate.
One answer is to try and seek out a recession-proof job.
Luckily, some sectors like education weren’t affected (or have even been boosted) by the pandemic. Based on market data education is likely to remain stable through whatever the future may bring.
Careers in education have proven to be quite stable. Many classrooms across the nation have already reopened.
You may be wondering:
Is teaching recession-proof? Or is teaching a good career choice?
Yes! Teaching is a stable job with a job market that hasn’t slowed down!
And it’s easier to get into than you might think, even if you are a new grad or someone who wants to change careers into teaching.
There’s no question that teaching is a good career choice, whatever your future work goals are.
Let’s explore why teaching may be the stable career you’re looking for and how you can get into it by looking at the following questions:
- Is teaching really recession-proof?
- Is teaching a good career choice?
- Will I enjoy teaching?
- Will I be able to get a teaching job during the pandemic?
- What training do I need to be a teacher?
Is teaching really recession-proof?
Teaching is recession-proof and provides a sense of job security. It's also a great career choice for anyone who loves working with people.
Yup! As we’ve seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while other sectors have been experiencing serious instability, teachers have not stopped working.
All that’s changed is how teachers do their job – using more tech to provide online lessons and learning resources.
It’s believed that this will continue.
Kids need to go to school, whatever the economic climate. This makes roles in primary, secondary, higher, special education, and even adult education, some of the most recession-proof jobs available.
On top of the consistent demand for educators, teachers in the public school system often have strong unions, making layoffs even more unlikely.
Is teaching a good career choice?
Again – yes! Whether you get into teaching for a few years or a lifelong career, it’s a respected profession that is sure to enhance your professional skills in many ways.
Firstly, you’ll build skills such as organization, motivating others, coaching, creativity and public speaking. These will be invaluable to you as a teacher, and useful in many other professions too.
Secondly, if teaching is something you only do short-term, future employers will be impressed by your teaching experience.
Working as a teacher proves you have all the professional skills listed above (and more!). It also marks you out as someone committed to your community, hard-working, interested in supporting others.
Whatever path you have planned for the future, teaching is an excellent way to pandemic-proof your career.
Whether you get into teaching for a few years or a lifelong career, it’s a respected profession that is sure to enhance your professional skills in many ways.
Will I enjoy teaching?
Like any job, whether you enjoy teaching or not will depend on your personality, where you work and who you work with.
You’ll need to enjoy working with people to make a good teacher.
And, it has to be said, most teachers find that the job comes with an equal amount of challenges and rewards. In your first year working as a teacher, especially, there will probably be a steep learning curve!
But you’ll come out of it with skills that will last you a lifetime and with a real sense of personal growth.
Working as a teacher provides a unique environment that can be rewarding, inspiring and fun. Working with kids and teens gives plenty of opportunity for creativity, silliness and seeing the world from a different perspective.
And as a school teacher, you’ll have a unique opportunity to shape the future – something few other jobs can provide.
Will I be able to get a teaching job during the pandemic?
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, most companies (65.1%) have cut job listings.
And this is not surprising. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that in the US, 3 million jobs have already been lost due to the pandemic.
On a positive note, education is one of the few sectors that is still hiring and even breaking down traditional barriers to entry for applicants.
There has been an ongoing teacher shortage in the US for several years, and the need for teachers is growing, year by year.
A 2016 study by the Learning Policy Institute found that the US would be short 110,000 teachers in the 2017-18 school year.
By 2020 they predicted this figure would be at 300,000 teachers.
And more recent studies have found the shortage might be even higher than previously thought.
While this is not positive news in general, it does mean that there are plenty of available teaching roles in states throughout the US.
Your chances of getting a job as a teacher are high. The education sector is likely to be hiring consistently in years to come.
What training do I need to be a teacher?
The traditional route to becoming a teacher in the public school system means studying for a bachelor’s in Education, then undertaking the relevant training to become a licensed teacher.
A new system called alternative teacher certification was introduced to help solve teacher shortages and get teachers certified quicker.
Alternative teacher certification is open to anyone who has a bachelor’s degree and the right to work in the US.
You can complete a course directly after college, or after you have already been in the workforce for a few years. The great news is that you don’t need a bachelor’s in education, anything is fine!
It’s a route to quickly becoming a teacher in the US, rather than having to get a second bachelor’s in education.
Alternative teacher certification programs are normally completed online (with some IRL work placements). They take around nine months to complete, although deadlines are flexible, meaning you can easily fit study in around your existing commitments.
Recession-proof your career by becoming a teacher!
Although now is a strange time to be job hunting, we’re here to tell you that there are opportunities out there. It is still possible to start building a career now.
Becoming a teacher after college or even when you have a few year’s work experience under your belt is a sure-fire way to do this.
Teaching jobs are guaranteed, despite the recession.
And remember one thing:
It’s never too late to become a teacher
You’ll learn skills that will see you through your career, wherever it might lead.
It’s easier than ever to become a certified teacher online, studying at your own pace.
So, what are you waiting for? Make 2023 the year your career starts in the classroom.
1 comment
I totally agree that teaching is a good career choice and a secured job. Liked your content. Keep sharing.