Have you ever wondered what other jobs are available with a McKay school degree besides becoming a teacher? There are endless job opportunities with a teaching degree, including: being a principal, curriculum and instructional coach, education policy advocate, and much more. It is important to note that some will require additional certification or furthering your education. We did the hard part and researched how to find some of the possible job opportunities available with a teaching degree. Continue reading to learn more from current professionals and check out the full list of careers at the bottom of this post!
We interviewed two professional educational workers to see what jobs they have outside of the classroom with a teaching degree. Jason Snow and Aimee Stanton were kind enough to take time out of their busy days and show us the career diversity that comes with getting an education degree.
Jason Snow is a technology trainer who works for the state service center- the Northeastern Utah Educational Services. He wears many hats with this job, such as: working with Adobe and Canvas software programs, as well as training teachers, coaches, principals, administrators, and superintendents. He also aids teachers in receiving endorsements for certain certificates. Since COVID-19, many teachers needed to offer remote learning option and Snow has been a huge help to the districts as he has helped transform learning from in-person to online. Snow graduated from the University of Utah with multiple bachelor's degrees in Science, Physics, Anthropology, Geography, and Teaching. He also got a master's degree from Grand Canyon in Curriculum Design and Technology. After his extensive education, he began teaching at a Title One school and served in the classroom for 21 years. With his new title, he is able to work more with students and faculty. Snow says, “There are so many opportunities out there and with this degree, you can work with almost any company!”
Snow is just one example of the many opportunities possible with a teaching degree. We also had the opportunity to meet with Aimee Stanton, an assistant principal, who received a BS in Early Childhood Education and an MEd in Educational Leadership. Stanton spends her busy days in the classroom observing teachers, disciplining, training, hiring, and looking for ways to improve the school. This is no small task. She shared, “After graduation, I thought I would be a classroom teacher my entire career. After I started working with instructional coaches and excellent administrators, I decided to get my master's degree.” She explained how you never know what path you will take as there are countless options available. Stanton was a classroom teacher and later became a curriculum coordinator and is now an assistant principal.
JaNeece Thacker, one of our academic advisors here in the McKay School, shared, “When you gain experience in the classroom, eventually you see things that spark your interest. You will begin to know if you want to stay on the path or begin exploring other paths. There are so many avenues that you can go into."
Here is a list of some of the possible paths available to you with a teaching degree:
K-3rd grade teacher
Preschool Teacher
Childcare Center Director
Home-Based Service Provider
Family Support Specialist
Curriculum/Education Materials Consultant
Education Researcher
Education Products Sales Representative
University Professor for Teacher Education*
Education Policy Advocate
Elementary School Principal or Assistant Principal
Curriculum Writer for Education Materials
Mentor Teacher for Teachers in Training Programs
Subject Coach for School Districts
Education Researcher
Child Life Specialist*
Guidance Counselor*
School Psychologist*
University Professor for Teacher Education*
Physical Education Teacher
Director of Athletics
High School/Middle School Principal
Head Coach
Curriculum and Instructional Coach
Recreation Center Manager
Health/Wellness Teacher
Certified Personal Trainer*
University Professor for Teacher Education*
Special Education Teacher
Special Education Consultant (Special education consultants help evaluate students and develop Individualized Education Programs)
Education Researcher
Reading, Literacy, or Math Specialist
Special Education Policy Advocate
Curriculum and Instruction Coach
Curriculum Writer
School psychologist*
University Professor for Special Education*
*Requires further education/training, but are common paths people with this degree pursue
Getting an education degree leads you to so many different career paths and opens a door to many new opportunities. If you have further questions about declaring an education major and want to meet with an academic advisor, click here. If you want to talk to a current student in a McKay School program, click here, to set up an appointment with a student ambassador.