Exercise 2.

2 Career Research

I have chosen to return to college to pursue the one career that I believe not only aligns with my skill
set, but is also a career that I have felt a calling to over the years. After completing the online surveys
and skill checks for potential careers that would suit me, I was glad to see that Teaching /Education was
one of the suggestions. My career title would be Athletic Coach/ History Teacher.

Teachers create and teach lesson plans for a class but also sometimes on an individual basis. They keep
track of progress of each student involving the parents/guardians along the way. They prepare students
for exams teach discipline in the classroom and encourage them to achieve their best. From an athletic
coach stand point, you would use sport specific strategies to assist them in reaching their true potential.

I believe patience and nurturing skills along with the ability to engage with students would be well
served in the teaching arena. An understanding of the way in which students learn would be most
beneficial to both the teacher and the student as teaching plans can be adjusted on the hop for the best
results. The use of innovative ideas to open their mind to other possibilities for learning could help them
reach new levels of understanding.

The minimum education requirements to be a High School teacher vary from state to state and even
across the globe. For most schools in the U.S., a bachelors degree would be the minimum requirement
but many schools prefer a masters or even a doctorate. Some type of licensure/ certification may be
needed and even some student teaching could be expected also. Degree specific courses could be taken
to maximize your attractiveness to prospective employers. If teaching is not your thing, there are other
fields where your degree could be useful, including school research, consulting in education, school
administrators, and even in the field of technology as it pertains to education.

There is no requirement for a professional degree, but it would be a good idea to add a masters as it
would help to separate you from other applicants for the same position. It would also allow you to apply
for future promotions in your field.

To achieve a Bachelors degree, you would have to accumulate about 120 credit hours. To complete a
degree in 4 years, that would require 12 credit hours a semester, which is about 4 classes. Summer
classes would also have to be taken to keep you on track to graduate in 4 years. Fifteen credit hours a
semester is quite a load and could result in repeated classes where you didnt do well.

The average mean wage for high school teachers in NC is $43,000. It ranks amongst the lowest in the
country. Alaska, New York, Connecticut and New Jersey make over $75,000 per year but you have to
factor in the cost of living. Worldwide, Luxemburg tops the list and the US finds itself in the top 10 of
countries that pay their teachers well.

The job outlook for teaching is fantastic as the population continues to grow. The US bureau of labour
statistics estimates as many as 1.9 million job openings for teachers in the next 10 years. Technology is
not ready to displace the hands on approach that teachers provide, although it is decimating jobs in
many other sectors.

It Seems there are a limited number of opportunities to advance in education. Most teachers might be
satisfied simply teaching, but there are options to become assistant principal, head of a department, or
just a mentor to any first year teacher that might require a helping hand to cope. Obtaining that
professional degree will help to improve your chances of success at the next level.

Sources to pursue for more information would include the following.

1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics

2. Academic Advisors at CPCC. www.cpcc.edu/ican/academic-advising
3. Career Services Counselling. www.cpcc.edu/career/studentsgrads/counseling
4. ONET www.bls.gov/ooh/
5. CFNC.ORG. www.cfnc.org
6. Career Coach. www.cpcc.edu/careercoach.
7. STAR. www.cpcc.edu/star

One important area that I should investigate is, to talk to career professionals who stayed with the job
to the end. How did they work through the difficult times? Did they ever think of quitting? How did they
avoid taking the job home? For me, just knowing that I potentially could shape a young persons future
would make it all worthwhile. I have already had a career doing something I did not want to do. Now is
my opportunity to do something that may reward me every day.