Career Pathways
Education
In the field of education, possessing the right skills creates opportunities to inspire and shape the future. Educators have the privilege of not only transmitting knowledge but also instilling values and igniting a love for learning. Whether you aspire to be a teacher, counselor, administrator, or education specialist, the career paths within education offer a fulfilling journey of personal and societal impact.
In-demand skill set
68.8 million new teachers are needed worldwide to reach UNESCO’s 2030 education goals.
Varied roles
Education offers a wide range of roles, including leadership, tech, and government positions.
Positive impact
Educators profoundly influence society by imparting knowledge to individuals.
Dr. Shavonne Gibson, Chief Professional Learning Officer
To better understand the education skillset and how you can apply it, it can be helpful to hear the stories of others. Listen as Dr. Shavonne Gibson describes her role and the skills she uses to achieve success.
I am the chief professional learning officer at Relay Graduate School of Education. So that’s a very long title, which means that I lead our professional development work for teachers and leaders across the country. In this role, I am considered an instructional leadership expert, and I lead a team of coaches that support the work and facilitators who facilitate our content to audiences of mostly public and charter school educators. And the skills that I use are really vast. So I come in with an instructional background. I was a teacher. I was a school leader. I led a network of schools and I also worked at a state education agency. So I have all of that background, but the skills that I utilize in addition to instructional leadership alot of it is related to change management. So identifying what our districts are seeking and how they want to improve and then figuring out if we have a solution to match their needs. There’s a lot of relationship building in my role. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve met someone a number of years ago and they popped into my inbox like we haven’t connected in a while. I’d love to talk to you about something or have a problem that I’d love to get your insights into. So a lot of relationship building. Partnership development again that has a close relationship to engaging with folks to figure out what their needs and are we the right match. Then there’s like some raw management skills, right? I have to help my team solve problems. I have to help them prioritize or deprioritize tasks. There’s certainly time management. Sometimes I get a request for the board. I get a request to get a proposal out the door and I might have to deprioritize other things on my to-do list to ensure that I meet those needs in a timely fashion. So I think those are the skills that I utilize pretty consistently in my role.
Discover your career opportunities
Acquiring basic education skills opens up a wide range of career opportunities around the world.
| Entry level | Mid level | Senior level | Entrepreneurial |
|
| Chief Academic Officer |  | |||
| Corporate Trainer | | | | |
| Curriculum Developer | | | ||
| Early Childhood Educator | | | ||
| Education Policy Analyst | | |||
| Educational Researcher | | |||
| Dean | | |||
| Director of Education | | |||
| Gifted Education Teacher | | | ||
| Instructional Designer | | | | |
| Primary School Teacher | | | ||
| Principal | | |||
| Secondary School Teacher | | | ||
| Special Education Teacher | | | ||
| Superintendent | | |||
| University Professor | | |
It’s important to emphasize that the roles mentioned above primarily revolve around education-related job duties. An education skill set is highly adaptable, often encompassing leadership, communication, and management skills. Individuals with education skills can excel in roles beyond the education sector, including positions in project management, sales, or consulting.
Education skills are highly transferable – problem solving, communication and team work are skills teachers and school staff utilize daily. They also know how to include a diverse set of stakeholders (fellow teachers, students, parents, school staff).
Andrea Buwalda, career expert at edX
Learn about topics in education
Register for a course on edX to learn about a variety of topics within the education industry.
How can I acquire education skills and turn them into a career?
If you’re interested in pursuing your own career in education, we recommend considering these steps:
Research is key in any career, and a career in education is certainly no exception. Take advantage of all the information available, whether browsing the internet for job titles, listening to educational podcasts, or getting connected to professionals in the areas or positions that interest you.
One key part of the research phase is networking. This simple step is often overlooked and undervalued but can significantly impact your career trajectory. To clarify your career goals and aspirations, you must talk with professionals about what the work looks like.
You open a door of opportunity in your career by reaching out to professionals in your targeted fields, positions, and companies. Connecting with education professionals who could vouch for you and provide hard-to-find intel about the industries or organizations of interest is invaluable.
Check out our Networking guide and Networking outreach samples for help getting started.
To supplement your understanding of what others are doing professionally, gain clarity on your goals and aspirations. Ask yourself what about education interests you — the possibilities are endless.
A career in education requires a diverse set of skills to effectively facilitate learning and support learners’ development. Below is a list of skills relevant to success in the field of education.
Education-related skills:
- Classroom management
- Community building
- Curriculum design
- English language learner (ELL) competencies
- Instructional design
- Lesson planning
- Project management
- Special education competencies
- Subject-matter expertise
Most modern educators utilize technology in their day-to-day work. Below is a list of technologies that may enhance your portfolio of skills.
Technologies:
- Collaboration tools
- Data management tools
- Educational apps
- Interactive whiteboards
- Learning management systems
- Online assessment tools
- Virtual learning tools
When it comes to acquiring education skills, you have numerous options. We recommend selecting a path that aligns best with your needs and learning style. Here are a few options to consider:
Self-education — If you are looking to learn asynchronously, informally, or casually, self-education is a great place to start. Many approaches to self-education support various career goals, budgets, learning styles, and time commitments. Here are some ways to self-educate:
- Informal opportunities: Gain a greater understanding of the industry by reading. Explore books, articles, and even research papers to expand your knowledge and learn what’s happened or is happening in the field. Not a reader? Plenty of videos, podcasts, and other forms of multimedia can teach you a thing or two about careers or work related to education.
- Online Courses: If you prefer a more structured or socialized learning experience, online courses might be a good option. edX.org offers several instructor-led and self-paced courses that may be of interest.
Professional certifications — Professional certifications are a great addition to an educator’s resume. The education field has several certifications that will enable you to work with a specific set of learners or make the next move in your career. A few to look into are TESOL, TEFL, CDA, and CTEFL. Also, edX.org offers many certificate programs that may interest you.
Degree programs — For those who are interested in a deep understanding of educational pedagogy, instructional strategies, or educational policy, a degree in education may be a good choice. A degree will help you establish authority in the field and speak to various approaches to education.
Employers hiring for a role may require a portfolio of projects, such as lesson plans, educational content, or courses. You’ll want to build a competitive online portfolio highlighting your skills and unique value.
Once you achieve your career goal, celebrate your success. The career journey is full of ups and downs; every victory deserves acknowledgment.
With that said, your journey doesn’t end here — it’s only just beginning. Give yourself grace and understand that careers are not linear. Here are some ways you could continue growing your education skills.
Continued learning — Always reference our course catalog on edX.org for continued learning opportunities. It never hurts to brush up on your skills, expand your knowledge within the industry, or learn about other subjects that could apply to your work, interests, or something in between.
Promotions — As your expertise and portfolio grow, so will career opportunities. To position yourself well for promotions, you will need to stay current on educational topics and trends and develop leadership skills.
Chief academic officer — Direct all academic programs, faculty, and curriculum development within an educational institution or organization.
Dean of education — Manage and lead education in schools or colleges within universities, overseeing faculty, research, and curriculum.
Superintendent — The top executives in school districts, responsible for overseeing all district operations, setting educational policies, and managing budgets.
Pivots — Make sure to regularly check in with yourself and your satisfaction with daily tasks. If you are dissatisfied in your current role, take stock of what you like and dislike about it, keep your eyes out for company-sponsored growth opportunities, and pursue career pivots that optimize your background, skill set, and interests.
Collaboration is the key in any type of education setting. You have to be able to work with other people. You have to have the soft skills to communicate, socialize and understand the inner workings of an organization. Collaboration is absolutely essential.
Dr. Ashlee Boothe, Government Programs Coordinator
What are my next steps?
Start learning now
Register for a course on edX to learn about a variety of topics within the field of education.
Watch a session
Watch a relevant session on our Events Page to learn more about the industry and other professional’s experiences within it.
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