You could work in a nursery, primary or secondary school, in an FE college, with a training provider or university. Your work would be to support the education system but not actually do the teaching.
You will need to enjoy working in a learning environment and have great patience, diplomacy and good communication skills. There are many jobs in this field, including administration roles such as secretary or bursar. You could work with the children as a teaching assistant or learning mentor. You might choose to become a counsellor, careers adviser or librarian. You could work as a technician in IT, science labs or workshops. You will probably work up to 40 hours a week, 39 to 43 weeks a year.
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Career maps
Refer to this useful chart that explains the different sorts of jobs in the educational support sector and what qualifications are required for each role.
Future careers
Areas that are expanding in the education sector include new technologies and communication display systems, developing and maintaining websites, managing registration and cashless payment card systems, setting up and maintaining virtual learning environments (VLEs), managing student record systems, and marketing and business development. All of these areas will require suitably qualified support workers in the future.
Things to consider
Things you may need to know:
- A job in education support services could be an opportunity to find out if you would like to work in education and perhaps teach.
- You will have to deal with learners, teachers and/or lecturers and other colleagues on a daily basis, helping to solve problems.
- You will need an enhanced DBS check, but this can be done when you are offered a job. A first aid certificate is useful for welfare officers. Technicians in workshops and laboratories require knowledge of health and safety.
Useful links
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