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Opportunities in Technology Education Jobs

Technology in schools is opening up job opportunities in technology education. What kinds of jobs are out there and what do they require?

Technology education is a growing field. Compared to the business sector, the education sector has been slow to embrace new information technology. Today, however, educational institutions increasingly recognize the importance of teaching technology to students of all ages.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), two of the jobs with the fastest growth rates from 2008 to 2018 will be network systems analysis and computer software engineering. Technology educators provide important training in these fields. What are the key technology education jobs and what career prospects do they provide?

Information technology appears in high schools as an academic subject and as a hands-on vocational subject. At some high schools, math and science teachers offer electives on computer science or robotics to prepare students for college engineering classes. At other high schools, vocational instructors teach information technology skills such as computer programming and networking.

Though technology education can lead to good careers, cash-strapped school districts usually focus their resources on basic subjects such as English and math. Technology education jobs are therefore not increasing at a significant rate. The BLS expects that jobs for high school technology teachers will continue to rise at a rate of 10 to 13 percent between 2008 and 2018. There are over one million high school teachers in the United States, however, so job candidates can expect that many technology education jobs will be at secondary schools.

As for incomes, the median salary for secondary school vocational teachers was $51,580 in May 2018. Similarly, the median salary for kindergarten through 12th grade teachers was from $47,100 to $51,180.

To teach technology at a public school, an educator must have at least a bachelor’s degree and a teaching license. Many states offer alternative routes to a teaching license that take into account professional experience and knowledge. The requirements vary from state to state.

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Many people study information technology at four-year colleges, community colleges or specialized technical institutes. These postsecondary institutions are expected to hire instructors at a faster-than-average rate of 15 percent from 2018-2028, according to the BLS. This field is not large to begin with, however. In 2018, there were approximately 38,800 computer science professors in the United States, and approximately 120,200 vocational instructors in all fields including information technology.

Postsecondary educators earn slightly higher salaries than other technology educators, with a median of $58,830 in May 2018. Competition is high for the best-paid jobs, however, such as tenure-track positions at universities. More opportunities are available at community colleges and career education institutes.

No licensing is necessary to teach technology at the postsecondary level. Educators at this level require master’s degree at a minimum, however. To obtain jobs at four-year institutions a doctorate is necessary.

Some adult learners study computer technology through non-credit “self-enrichment” programs. In fact, at adult education centers information technology is one of the most popular subjects. According to the BLS, the demand for self-enrichment education teachers is rising quickly. Jobs in this field will increase by a total of 32 percent in the period from 2018-2028.

Most of these jobs are part-time, however. Non-credit adult education classes typically meet once or twice a week for a few hours. Pay is relatively low per hour. Most adult education instructors have a full-time job in addition to their part-time teaching. The teaching itself is usually enjoyable because personal interest motivates adult students to pay attention and participate.

Finding a job teaching technology at a self-enrichment center requires teaching skills and expert knowledge of the specific subject. It does not require professional certifications or degrees. Some self-enrichment teachers work in information technology for years before taking up teaching. Other paper writers come to their jobs with previous teaching experience and academic credentials.

With more and more colleges and high schools offering online education, there is a rising need for instructional designers. An instructional designer is a professional who creates educational materials and assessments for presentation over the internet. In school settings, instructional designers also teach educators how to use technology effectively in the classroom.

Seventy percent of instructional designers work for private or public schools, where they create online courses and advise teachers on technology. The remaining 30 percent work for governments and private companies, where they evaluate instructional technology and design employee training programs.

The BLS anticipates a 23 percent increase in jobs for general curriculum designers by 2028. Most of this increase will consist of instructional design jobs. Instructional designers earn a median salary of $56,880.

To work in this field, many people obtain a master’s degree in instructional design. Alternatively, it’s possible to work as a teacher or educational administrator for several years and then move into instructional design. In public school systems, an instructional designer must have a master’s degree and a professional certification in teaching or educational administration.

Teaching can be a rewarding and unusual way to use information technology knowledge and experience. Jobs teaching technology will continue to see healthy growth rates in the near future. Teachers who already have classroom experience may also find it useful to pursue continuing education in technology or to use online education for professional development.

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