Industry: Education
 Education is a steady industry that may not pay the most in salary, but pays back in personal fulfillment. Education professionals have a sense of meaning in their life knowing they are enriching the lives of others no matter what the age group. Unfortunately the field of education has been severely cut in the past decade to the governmental and state budget cuts. Individuals in the education field can be broken up by the level of education they provide.
Elementary school teachers need patience, creativity, and a tender heart, while college professors usually have an inquisitive nature, often performing research on their own while offering thought provoking discussion in their classrooms.
Positions within an educational setting can include school counselors, athletic directors, teachers, and after school program directors. Positions may depend on the funding of the school, whether the school is public or privately owned, because private schools tend to have more leeway in making hiring decisions. Private schools must meet certain standards and follow guidelines set by accreditation services in order to insure the quality of education being provided. Public schools are funded by the government, which makes them accountable to you, the tax payer.
Public schools are having to cut back and private schools are increasing tuition because both education types have experienced set backs in the previous years.
However, with new technology, the rise of student applicants in Master programs, and the increase of demand for a college degree in the workforce, education is gaining more value. Even in areas where an education is valued, most teachers do not feel they are compensated enough for the amount of work they do and the impact they have on their student’s lives. As the older generation feels threatened by the technology advances and struggles to implement their uses into their education process, young educators are utilizing technology to their advantage and to the advantage of their students. Students are able to access additional learning material, contact information for their classmates, class presentations, and even participate in discussion all over the web. Online education has seen a tremendous growth, which has, in turn, increased the accessibility of education. Mothers are able to learn at home while watching their children, executives are able to work on their degree without giving up their successful career, and students are able to participate in education on an international level all due to the mobility of education. Business professionals are utilizing the online learning community to become certified, well versed in upcoming marketing trends, or to learn technology information in order to run a more efficient company with the use of new technological tools. This spread of education and the accessibility to a larger student base is opening up positions within the education field across the globe.
Supplementary educational services are required to be provided to struggling students attending under-performing schools. After school enrichment companies such as KAPLAN prepare students for the ever looming SAT or GRE standardized tests, while the Sylvan Learning Center offers private tutoring, and additional companies specialize in the education of special needs children are all contributing to the additional growth of the education industry. The retirement of the baby boomer generation is expected to create openings for many job opportunities in the education field.
The education industry does offer many perks such as summer and holidays off for vacation, many English teachers are getting to travel by teaching abroad, and the community of staff within an educational setting can be encouraging and comforting to those involved. A career in education provides unique benefits, and the ability to make an impact and is thus a highly sought after career.
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