Careers in education and teaching aren’t limited to teaching in schools and universities. Photo by ThisIsEngineering from Pexels
Pursuing a career in education and teaching can be highly rewarding.
Among several other reasons, the field provides you the opportunity to inspire and encourage young people to discover their potential and grow as well-rounded individuals who can contribute to society.
However, it’s worth noting that becoming a professional in education and teaching isn’t just limited to being a teacher or lecturer in schools or higher educational institutions.
While possessing the foundation in teaching studies can set your path towards an educational career, the diverse jobs available today suggest that there are many other ways to be part of the field.
As long as you have the drive to shape the future generation and enhance the quality of the education system, you can expand your options based on your interests – e.g. digital technology, arts, psychology, etc. – and search for your preferred profession within education and training.
Education Mental Health Practitioner
While a fairly new profession, an education mental health practitioner (EMHP) can play an important role in helping students who are in need of mental health support, especially in schools and tertiary institutions.
Providing mental health care in an educational setting has become more crucial than ever in today’s highly competitive environment, as there is an urgent need for young people to seek healthy coping mechanisms to the various pressures they go through during their studies.
Although there isn’t a study programme dedicated to EMHP in Malaysia just yet, you can consider pursuing study fields related to children and young people, health and well-being, education, and psychology to work towards championing mental health in schools.
You can also opt for degrees in guidance and counselling, such as the Bachelor of Education (Guidance and Counselling) offered by International Islamic University Malaysia.
Private Tutoring
For some, private tutoring is seen as a side job, but committing to it allows you to develop your capability as an educator and support your local community through tutoring services.
You can also consider it as an education-based business, where you can earn lucrative fees out of tutoring in the long run.
However, like any teaching profession, being a private tutor involves possessing a high level of knowledge and skills in your chosen subject to be able to teach your students efficiently and effectively.
You can either be part of a network of tutoring services such as My Private Tutor and Tuition Hero Malaysia, or establish your own tutoring service if you have the means, licence and qualification to do so.
Tech-related Jobs
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have led to a dramatic shift from face-to-face learning to the virtual space, compelling educational institutions and teachers to adapt to new ways of delivering lessons.
Here is where educational technology comes into play; even before the pandemic, this specific field offers rewarding, exciting and lucrative careers for those who want to make a change in the education system through technology.
From the development of educational mobile applications to the design of online study courses and assignments, educational technology gives you the opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind online learning experience.
Most importantly, making full use of technology for educational purposes can help increase learning accessibility and inclusivity to individuals of various backgrounds from different parts of the world, whether they are abled or disabled.
Examples of careers in educational technology include educational software programmer, course designer and media specialist.
