There you go. You just went and did it now didn’t you? You happened to look at yourself in the mirror. You evaluated your priorities. You dreamed of what you want out of life. You envisioned what you want to give with your life. You determined it’s worth shortlisting a career in education, an industry notoriously branded as one whose passionate laborers are overworked, under-appreciated, underpaid, and generally undervalued.
However, despite these negatives your conscience tells you the mission of helping others to become the best versions of themselves is so inspirational, noble, virtuous, and honorable that you press on.
A heartfelt ‘thank you’ is nowhere close enough to expressing the gratitude we have for this consideration. Good on you. You’re a better human than most of us. We need your time, talents, and energy. We need you. The world needs your time, talents, and energy. The world needs you.
“A human being is not attaining his full heights until he is educated.” –Horace Mann
Thankfully, many have heed the call. In the US alone, teaching is one of the largest occupations. Each year, 310,000 new public school teachers join the 10% (or 3 million) college-educated workers that teach.
Relatively speaking a considerable amount globally is budgeted towards teaching students. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics reported that the average percent of global government expenditure allocated to education is just around 13%. It is debatable as to whether this is enough.
Regardless, the numbers support there is a sustained need for educators. The question remains, is a career in education the right one for you? Let’s look further into the pros and cons to consider when deciding if this move into education is the right one for you. Let's start with the cons.
A Career in Education: The Cons
Working in education can be challenging, and there are several negatives that can be associated with it. These include:
- High stress: Teachers and educators often work long hours and have to deal with difficult students and parents.
- Low pay: Many educators are not compensated well for the work they do, which can be a deterrent for some people.
- Bureaucracy: Many educators have to navigate complex regulations and bureaucracy, which can be time-consuming and frustrating.
- Burnout: The constant demands of the job, combined with the emotional toll of working with children, can lead to burnout among educators.
- Stagnant career: Educators who choose to stay within the school setting often feel limited in their careers due to lack of professional development and advancement opportunities, especially for those who work in rural or low-income areas.
- Lack of support: Some educators feel that they do not receive enough support from administration, parents, and government.
- Socio-economic and cultural challenges: Educators may face challenges when working with students from diverse backgrounds, which can be difficult to navigate.
- Social isolation: Some educators may feel socially isolated from their colleagues and peers in the education field.
A Career in Education: The Pros
Yes, there are always negative aspects of any career. However, working in education can be very rewarding, and there are several positives that can be associated with it. These include:
- Making a positive impact: Educators have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of their students and the wider community.
- Job satisfaction: Many educators find great satisfaction in helping students learn and achieve their goals.
- Professional development: Educators can continue to learn and grow throughout their careers, taking on new responsibilities and developing new skills.
- Sense of community: Educators often form close relationships with their colleagues, students, and families, which can create a sense of community and belonging.
- Flexibility: Some educators have the option of working part-time, flexible hours, or on a contract basis, which can provide a good work-life balance.
- Variety: Educators can work in a range of different settings, from traditional classrooms to online learning environments, and with a wide range of students, from early childhood to adult education.
- Opportunities for career advancement: Opportunities, although limited, do exist within a school setting to advance your career as you progress to become a school administrator. Additionally, nearly unlimited opportunities exist to upwardly progress your career outside of the school setting. These opportunities exist through employment or consulting with education product and service providers.
- Making a difference in the future: Educators play an important role in shaping the future by helping to educate the next generation of leaders and problem-solvers.
Perhaps you are someone that is seriously considering a career in education. Or, perhaps you are taking a moment of introspection to decide what’s next in your career. Either way, considering the pros and cons of working in education will help you determine what’s right for you.
The good news is that careers that fulfill your passion to support students also exist outside schools. For example, there are thousands of companies that provided educational technology (or EdTech) products and services to schools.
You can explore these EdTech companies and EdTech jobs to learn if this option might also be a good fit for you.