A Guide to Education Careers

Education is a rewarding career that will enable you to influence the next generation of professionals, athletes, and performers. Here’s a list of the most common roles in the field and what qualifications you’ll need to do them.

Careers Advisor

As a careers advisor, you’ll be responsible for guiding school children during the period they decide what career they’d like to pursue. It’s a role that will require a comprehensive understanding of different career paths and job markets. No two days will be the same, as you’ll encounter students with different aspirations and life ambitions.

To be a good careers advisor, you’ll need to be a good listener, have strong communication skills, and research efficiently. To qualify, you’ll need an undergraduate degree in any discipline, followed by a postgraduate degree in careers counselling. That will earn you the Qualification in Career Development (QCD). You could also opt to do an apprenticeship and avoid the university fees.

Teacher

Teachers are high in demand in the UK, with plenty of resources and help to get you trained and qualified. To be successful and progress as a teacher, you’ll need to be organised and a natural leader with a talent for inspiring students. To become fully qualified, you’ll need a degree in any discipline, followed by Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and eventually Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

There are plenty of subjects to choose from, so it helps if your degree is in an area relating to the subject you plan to teach. Also, your career can progress from a teacher into the head of a department and eventually headmaster.

University Lecturer

The position of lecturer is highly competitive. Typically you’ll need a PhD, but for more practical courses, you could land a job with enough industry experience. Your role will

include delivering lessons, marking coursework, conducting visits, research, and supervising PhD students.

As competition for job openings is high, especially entry-level ones, you’ll need to be resilient and genuinely passionate about what you want to teach. You should ensure that you network, continue researching your field and write articles.

Teaching assistant

As a teaching assistant, you will aid students in their learning and help ensure that they develop and receive information correctly. You’ll also support teachers by putting together lesson plans and conducting other tasks that can help save time. To become a teaching assistant, you don’t need a degree, but you’ll need good literacy and numerical skills.

As you gain experience and qualifications, you could work your way up into a full teaching position.

School librarian

As a school librarian, you’ll be tasked with sourcing, organising, and introducing the books and learning materials that will support students during their studies. You’ll need a strong understanding of books and the latest releases, in addition to organisational, IT, and communication skills.

You’ll also need a degree in librarianship that is fully accredited by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP).

Looking for a job in Education? Why not attend one of our upcoming Award-Winning Career Fairs. We host events throughout the whole of the UK, including cities such as Leicester, Birmingham, Taunton, Gillingham, Belfast, Reading and much more! Check out our events page here.