Do you feel like you’re stuck in a major rut with your teaching career?  

No matter what the circumstances are, you’ll be happy to know that your teaching skills can be transferred to tons of new, exciting career paths. We know that it can be tough to make the change, but we’re here to make it a bit easier for you. In this article, we’ll talk about the 12 best jobs for teachers looking for a career change.

Which Tech Career is Right for You?

Ready to change your career and join the world’s next workforce? At Thinkful, we’ve got your back with various tech programs to get you equipped with in-demand skills.


11 Best Career Changes for Teachers

We’ve included a variety of career paths, so hopefully you’ll gain some inspiration from our list. Let’s get started.

Academic Counsellor (or Academic Advisor)

As an Academic Counsellor, you’ll be responsible for guiding and assisting students in their scholastic pursuits, mainly at the postsecondary level. You’ll help students to examine school programs, recognize academic strengths and weaknesses, and select majors. You’ll also collaborate with administrators, professors, and other stakeholders to stay in the loop about university programs and events. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of counsellors is expected to rise by 8% in the next nine years. The median annual pay for school and career counsellors in 2019 was $57,040.

Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurship can be broadly defined as creation of value. Simply put, it means creating business opportunities. If you want to transition into entrepreneurship from teaching, setting up a coaching center could be a great option. Selling lesson plans and resources would be another great idea. It’s all about turning your knowledge into a product or service you can sell.  

Translator

With the rise in globalization, almost every country is experiencing an influx of people from all over the world. If you know a different language, this is a great route to pursue. You’ll never find yourself without work if you’re fluent in two or more languages.  Translators/Interpreters earn $47,662 per year on an average.  

Computer Support Specialist

Computer Support Analysts have various responsibilities. Some analysts are tasked with assuring optimal quality of hardware and software products, while others are responsible for addressing technical issues. Many of them work at the help desk, while others deal with helping customers with any computer problems they have. Though the duties of Computer Support Analysts vary greatly, the outlook is quite promising. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in this field’s expected to grow by 8% through 2029, with a median salary of $54,760. If  you have a technical background, this may be one of the best options  for you. Depending on the job duties, knowledge of coding may not be  required.

Corporate Trainer

As a Corporate Trainer, you’ll educate and train employees to help them grow. Corporate Trainers are an integral part of most industries as they make sure that employees are efficiently trained on the skills and knowledge necessary for completing their jobs. Some Corporate Trainers act as consultants for many companies, while others prefer to work exclusively for one company. The latter is more commonly seen in large corporations. Freelancing as a corporate trainer’s also a lucrative option in terms of flexibility.  This may be an excellent option for you since it’s very similar to teaching. The average salary for corporate trainers is $56,444 per year.  

Realtor

Realtors provide informed advice, guidance, and assistance on marketing, buying and selling property. They’re also required to conduct comparative market analysis for estimating the value of properties. In this role, it’s essential to be able to understand clients’ needs and financial health to put forward the best possible solutions to their real-estate related problems.  As a teacher, you’ll be great at educating others on the real estate market. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the year 2019, the median annual pay for Real Estate Brokers was $59,720, while Real Estate Sales Agents bagged a median wage of $48,930.

Digital Marketer

A Digital Marketer develops, implements, and manages marketing drives for promoting a product or services. They’re primarily responsible for creating brand awareness through digital channels. As a teacher, you know how to conduct research and build relationships. You’re also an excellent planner and explainer, which transfers well to digital marketing.  If you’re interested in digital marketing, we offer part-time and full-time bootcamps to teach you all of the crucial skills to land work in this field.  

Freelance Writer

As a Freelance Writer, you’ll create quality content for websites, blogs, white papers, articles, and so on. Your duties will include collecting information on the topic you’re working on and create, edit, and proofread drafts. You’ll also edit the content for spelling and grammatical errors. In this career path, you’ll also collaborate with other freelancers on big projects.

This is a great way to break out of the strict work hours that you’d have as a teacher. As a Freelance Writer, you have the option to choose when you work and from where. If you prefer structure, you’ll also have the option to work full-time as a content creator for a single company once you’ve built up your portfolio.

The average base salary for Freelance Writers, according to Indeed.com, is $20.35 per hour. However, the earning potential of Freelance Writers will vary greatly as they earn on project basis.

Social Worker

This is the role for you if you’ve ever wanted to do more for your students and their families but couldn’t because of time and financial constraints. As a Social Worker, you’ll have the opportunity to work with families to help struggling children and provide them with a safe environment to grow in. You can also choose to work with other populations as well in a supportive manner if you no longer want to work with children.

Help Desk Technician

As a Help Desk Technician, you’ll respond to customer queries via email, phone, or in person to provide technical assistance. You’ll also be responsible for training computer users and other staff on how to diagnose and troubleshoot problems. Additionally, you may be required to write and edit training manuals.

You’ll be able to transfer your teaching skills into this role smoothly, as long as you have a knack for tech. Help desk technicians make $17.24 per hour on an average.

Software Engineer

As a Software Engineer, you’ll be responsible for designing, developing, and testing software applications by applying the principles of computer science, math, and engineering. You’ll develop and direct system validation and monitor system performance.

Because you value learning and using your knowledge to achieve results, software engineering could be super rewarding for you. With proper guidance, you can even understand the skills to become a Software Engineer in less than 4 months through our Software Engineering Bootcamps.

What Career Path Should You Choose?

Many teachers get attracted to the profession because of their passion for the craft, love for children, and the prospect of bringing about positive change. However, over time, many of them start to question the decision. It’s important that you know you’re not alone, and this is a common theme in the industry.

Change in life is inevitable. A career change may be scary, but if you have a feeling you’re in the wrong field, it’s best that you just take the leap. Making a shift into a new career could be the best decision you’ve ever made, and we’re not on this earth to play it safe.  

If you want the most efficient route to a new career, check out our bootcamps. We offer tons of options, and they’ve all been designed specifically to help you land a job you’ll love. We offer part-time and full-time bootcamps, and you have the option to hold off on payment until you land a job in your new field. And if by some chance you don’t find work in the new field within 6 months, you won’t pay a cent for your education. It’s a great option for any teacher looking to change careers.  

Good luck in your new journey. We’re cheering you on.

Which Tech Career is Right for You?

Ready to change your career and join the world’s next workforce? At Thinkful, we’ve got your back with various tech programs to get you equipped with in-demand skills.


Share this article