Becoming a Teacher as Your Second Career: A Second Job Versus a Calling?

For you, as a baby boomer or senior, who must return to work in order to survive financially during a period of economic decline, becoming a teacher with respect to having a second career may prove to be a wise decision.

Understanding what a second career is, as well as its future implications for you, may help in the decision-making process.

What is a career as opposed to a job or a calling?

Dictionary.com suggests that a career is “an occupation or profession, especially one requiring special training, followed as one’s life work” or “a person’s progress or general course of action through life or through a phase of life as in some profession or undertaking”.

On the other hand, Dictionary.com defines a job as “a piece of work, especially a specific task done as a part of the routine of one’s occupation or for an agreed price” or “a post of employment”.

A calling according to freedictionary.com is “a strong inner urge to follow an occupation” or it may be “an occupation, profession, or trade”.  At times, it may include “divine inspiration”.

It is important for you to understand why your second career choice is to become a teacher at this time in your life.

Perhaps you have always wanted to be a teacher, but did not have the opportunity to do so when you were younger and so you accepted a different kind of job. Maybe you have gone through a recent layoff due to technological changes or financial cutbacks in your career.

Are you actively engaged in a job or career that does not meet your needs, financial or otherwise? Maybe you simply do not enjoy or find personal satisfaction in your work and want to change your career to one that you feel is your true calling in life.

Second careers choices are optional, but with a multiplicity of growing opportunities around the globe, teaching as a second career may prove to be increasingly desirable, feasible and practical for you.

Academic qualifications for teachers are relatively high and professional certification may be required. This could mean academic upgrading that will require considerable time and effort on your part. Do you have that kind of time and energy?

Professional career counseling in conjunction with re-training, or second career training programs may prove to your advantage, especially if you are experiencing financial difficulty. There may be financial assistance available for second career training.

On the other hand, your current education, training, skills and previous work experience may be sufficient. Perhaps you are already qualified to teach others and have the opportunity to do so in a similar environment. 

Further upgrading with specific courses that offer certification is another possibility.

There are times when previous education, jobs and other careers prove to be valuable stepping-stones towards becoming a teacher, in terms of your true calling and second career. If teaching is your calling, you will find a way to fulfill your dreams.