7 Cool Jobs You Can Do If You Wanna Spend Your Days Hanging With Kids
If a career in early childhood teaching sounds like you, check out www.futuretracks.org.au
A lot of people assume that, if they study a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, they’ll only be able to become a teacher. And while teaching is ace, that couldn’t be further from the truth! Jobs in the early education and care sector are expected to double by 2020, so there’s no doubt this is a booming industry.
There are so many cool jobs you can do if you want to work with kids that don’t just revolve around reciting the ABC’s. From running your own centre, working overseas, or creating innovative policy, we’ve compiled some of the best opportunities this degree can give you.
Teacher
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What does a teacher do with kids before they start school, anyway? Well, a bunch of research says that’s when human brains do their best and quickest learning. Little kids are like sponges, so working with them as a teacher is awesome because you could well be the one to introduce them to their first guitar or a new language. Plus, you’ll get bragging rights if they turn out to be the next Lizzo.
Director
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Natural-born leader? Or maybe you’ve got an entrepreneurial streak? Either way, this one’s for you. A Bachelor of Early Childhood Education could see you managing an early learning centre, overseeing everything from staff recruitment and program development to ensuring all directors get to participate in nap time (okay, we can’t guarantee that last one). This is an obvious progression for folk who spend their first few years working on the front line with youngsters but want to work their way up.
If you’re a bit more business-minded, there’s also the option of opening up a centre of your very own. The great news is, during your studies, you’ll complete work placements at various organisations for some real-world learning, which will give you confidence and experience before you’ve even graduated.
Policy
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Some people get into early childhood education because they just love kids and are super great at working face-to-face with wee ones. Their patience and unconditional love for these kiddos is truly admirable. But if you have a passion for education without necessarily the passion for teaching, that is A-OK: you’re a “bigger picture” kind of person, and we need brains like yours to help create big ideas!
A career in policy can see you designing frameworks for early childhood education and working with others to create innovative new programs. More and more, we’re learning how vital early education is for the brain and how those first five years really make a difference to kid’s development and outcomes. Put your macro thinking skills to use by challenging yourself to think long-term, and you could be setting the groundwork for future generations.
Working Overseas
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Combining a job with travel is the ultimate goal for a lot of us, especially when we’re straight out of university. After working so hard throughout your degree, you absolutely deserve a holiday, so why not combine that with some real-world experience?
Whether it’s teaching English in Spain or working as a kindergarten teacher in New York, there are countless opportunities for teachers and educators overseas. Excelente!
Tech & Start-Ups
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There is significant investment being made in technology and early learning, and much like the tiny tots you’ll be working for, these opportunities are only going to grow. We might not think of early childhood learning as a STEM career, but the knowledge you’ll gain will make you invaluable to the ever-expanding tech industry. This degree could see you working as a consultant or advisor to developers working on innovative projects who need expertise on child development… or even creating a start-up yourself.
Family Support Specialist
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There’s no denying that early childhood educators can often feel like they wear several hats: teacher, babysitter, nurse, social worker. If you’re particularly passionate about supporting families that may be at-risk, a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education can help you to become a family worker. These specialists provide information and support for families that may be experiencing crisis or vulnerability.
This can involve outreach to homes or working within a multidisciplinary care team of workers from both government and non-government agencies to provide the best outcomes for a child and their family. This is a fantastic way to combine an interest in education with a passion for social work and equality.
Research
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We all owe a lot to researchers, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to give us accurate and important information about all issues relating to childhood development and education. While we rarely see their faces, they are a vital link to the entire industry! If you enjoy working on long-term projects and putting your interest in analysis to the test, a career in research could be just for you.
Researchers create and carry out studies, compile data, and also evaluate existing programs and policies to ensure our children are getting the best support possible. Depending on your interest in research, this could also lead to further studies within academia such as a Ph.D. or working within a university. And the good news is you don’t have to wear a lab coat (unless you want to, in which case, you do you).
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(Lead image: stem.T4L / Unsplash)
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If a degree in early childhood teaching sounds like you, check out www.futuretracks.org.au