All of us have seen the Education Industry from very close as students during school and college. But what is it like to be on the other side of the business, i.e. to be employed by the Education Industry? Find out below.
What are the jobs really about?
Imparting Education and Training
The jobs in the Education industry basically revolve around imparting education and training of one form or the other to students. Teachers and Academicians are hired to share their knowledge of the subject with students in different setups. This can take place in the school/college classroom, online through video conferencing, at a private coaching center etc.
Find out more about Online Teachers and Educators.
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However, you must understand that working in the Education Industry includes a lot of other jobs apart from teaching. For example, as an academician, you can be hired to conduct research on education related topics, to develop new methods of imparting or receiving education, to create and update school/college curriculums and even to write educational books. Some senior academicians might also be hired by the Government to help formulate educational policies.
Not only that, but as a professional in this industry, you can also be working for an Assessment/Testing agency that is responsible for testing the knowledge/aptitude of students through various tests. A job for such an organization might include roles like deciding curriculum, conducting research, designing the test, analyzing results, automating the checking process etc.
Some professionals in the education industry also work as Career Counsellors, helping students choose the most suitable educational path for them.
Why do people work in the Education Industry?
Love of the Subject
A big factor that drives people towards this industry is their love and passion towards a particular subject. This can be Math, Chemistry, History or English etc. This industry provides professionals with an opportunity to create a career in a field related to the subject they love, which might not offer significant job opportunities otherwise. People join this industry so as to not only learn more about their subject, but also to conduct research, formulate theories and share their knowledge and passion with students.
Making a Difference
Another equally big factor due to which people to join this industry is that it provides socially aware and motivated people a platform through which they can impact the future of the society in a positive manner. Working in the Education Industry allows you to interact with students, impart knowledge, provide guidance, encourage innovation, develop values and direct the future of this country towards the right path.
Fixed Schedules
Jobs in the Education Industry generally revolve around rigid schedules that hardly ever change. These might or might not involve lesser hours of work as compared to other organizations, but will certainly allow you to create a plan through which you can utilize your free time the way you wish to. Working in the Education Industry generally also involves getting a lot of holidays as compared to professionals in other industries, which is an added bonus.
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Social Respect
People who work in the Education Industry are generally looked up to by the public and are highly respected for their knowledge and intelligence. The society considers professionals in this field as highly intelligent people who are working towards the benefit of the public by sharing their knowledge with students. However, you must keep in mind that social respect applies to teaching more than any other job in the Education Industry.
Find out about the Top 7 Respected Careers.
What is it like to work in the Education Industry?
Constant Learning
Professionals in the Education Industry have to always be learning and updating their knowledge as the world of education is constantly changing, with new discoveries and theories coming up every day. As a professional in this industry, you will constantly be involved in academics and you will be required to be aware of the changes in the academic world around you as well as to always be in touch with your subject and past knowledge.
Low Salaries
One of the biggest drawbacks of having a career in the field of education is that in most likelihood, your salary will be on the lower side. As compared to other industries, professionals in the education industry earn meager amounts considering the amount of knowledge they possess. Even though this is slowly changing with the privatization of education and there are academicians who are highly paid today, the general salary levels in this industry are still pretty low. To survive in this industry, you need to be driven by the love of your subject rather than your desire to earn a lot of money.
Find out about the Top 7 Money Making Careers.
Responsibility and Discipline
Working in the Education Industry involves taking up a lot of responsibility, especially if you’re a Teacher. Professionals in this industry are not only role models for their students but their efficiency at work also affects the lives of their students as the better they teach, the more the students learn. Both these factors drive professionals in this industry to always take their work seriously and never behave in an irresponsible or morally incorrect manner.
Different Students, Different Needs
Working in the Education Industry is not easy as it involves dealing with a large number of students, each of whom have different needs and have different levels of understanding. This applies to almost all jobs in the industry, including teaching, conducting research, developing a curriculum, testing etc.
For example, a Teacher in a class of 50 students might have to choose a teaching method that will be suitable for some students, but not for the others. Or an Academician might create a theory based curriculum that might suit some students but not others. These varying needs of students complicate the lives of professionals in this industry and it becomes difficult for them to accommodate the needs of all students in a curriculum, class, lecture or exam.
Extra, Unpaid Hours
Professionals in the Education Industry are paid less is a known fact. But what you should also know is that most of these professionals put in extra hours of work which go unaccounted. These extra hours are put in to plan for classes, create curriculums, design tests, check exams etc. Professionals who succeed in this industry are the ones who are genuinely concerned about the future of their students and are willing to put in extra hours for the benefit of their students if need be.
