The Education Industry: Jobs, Skills and Job Outlook

The Education and Training sector encompasses all those professions that deal with the education of children and adults and the teaching of specific subject matters or skills.

The professionals who work in the education and training sector (e.g.teachers, professors, tutors, instructors, and trainers) provide teaching and coaching in the form of individual or group-based courses, lessons or training sessions in a vast range of fields and disciplines, including scholastic subjects such as mathematics, science, literature, foreign languages, music, art and information technology, but also in sports, professional and vocational studies, photography, yoga - and many others besides.

The aim of teachers and educators is to promote and facilitate learning and develop the cognitive, social, emotional and physical skills of their students by stimulating their imaginations and their curiosity.

From the teaching assistants and childcare workers in pre-schools and kindergartens and the teaching staff in infant, primary and secondary schools, through to the professors, lecturers, teachers and trainers working in further, higher and adult education - without forgetting of course fitness instructors and sports coaches for young children, teenagers and adults - education and training professionals truly work with people of all ages.

In addition to teaching staff, there are a wide range of other Education and Training workers who contribute to the daily running of nursery schools, schools and other education and training providers. These include teaching assistants and support staff, librarians, administrative and secretarial staff, technicians, school bus drivers, educators, counsellors, psychologists and social workers.

The Education and Training sector includes:

• The childcare system, which includes public, private, company-run and non-profit day nurseries, daycare centres and creches
• Public and private schools, including pre-schools, infant schools, primary schools, secondary schools and post-secondary or higher education (i.e.universities)
• Training providers of all types, including adult education centres and night schools, professional and vocational training centres and colleges, coaching centres and tutorial schools, and corporate training centres
• Sports and recreation centres, including swimming pools, gyms and fitness centres, offering sports courses (football, rugby, basketball, tennis, swimming, athletics, etc.) and fitness, yoga, pilates, aerobics, dance classes

Companies hiring in the Education and Training sector:

Overall, the Education and Training industry is expected to grow.

Employment opportunities for teachers, training, educators, instructors and coaches have grown significantly in recent years, due to the growing importance that education and training are assuming in people’s personal and professional lives (e.g. the concept of life-long learning). Whether their reasons are educational, work-related - or simply a question of a personal passion or interest - vast numbers of people of all ages and from all backgrounds are currently enrolled on a course of some kind.

This development has led to the creation of large numbers of positions in the education sector and a boom in demand for teaching and training personnel. The rise in demand concerns both classroom-based courses - i.e. where the physical presence of the teacher and students is necessary - but also online courses delivered through e-learning platforms and remote or distance learning-based courses.

There is also a renewed focus on the quality of education provided in schools, which has led in particular to a growing emphasis on students’ individual needs (e.g. pupils suffering from learning difficulties, requiring special support) as well as calls for students to be better prepared for the world of work.

In the light of the above developments, teachers and others in the education and training professions are increasingly required to be better qualified and to show a willingness to update their skills continuously to ensure they are equipped to tackle the new challenges facing the world of education.

Finally, with people increasingly aware of the importance of sports and physical activity in general as a way of keeping fit and healthy, employment prospects are also good for fitness coaches and personal trainers, yoga teachers and dance instructors and gymnastics and sports coaches.

The basic requirement for all education and training professionals is a high level of specific subject matter competence. But for a successful career in education, the following skills are also required:

Passion for people

The teaching profession involves a great deal of interaction with people. As a result, it has the potential to be both very rewarding, but also highly challenging and demanding. In addition to dedication, determination and proactivity, teachers need a positive, optimistic personality and the ability to guide, motivate and encourage their students to reach their learning goals. Not least among the rewards for these efforts is the pleasure of seeing one’s students succeed, progress and improve their lives.

Interpersonal and communication skills

Working as a teacher requires the ability to establish solid, meaningful, long-term relationships with students, as well as strong negotiation skills and a knack for defusing and resolving the conflicts that may arise from time to time within the classroom, or with students, parents and colleagues. Teachers also need to be able to communicate clearly and effectively, work in multicultural settings and show respect for students of all ages.

Professional qualifications

The majority of job vacancies in education or training environments - whether they are in schools, universities, technical or vocational colleges, in sports, music or the arts - require specific academic qualifications and/or a teaching qualification in a specific subject matter. School teachers, for example, are often required to hold a degree, while trainers and instructors in other disciplines may need to possess a certificate, diploma or qualification from a sporting association or other recognized certification body.