Navigating a Career During Change: Teaching
The military can make it challenging to maintain a professional career while transitioning from duty station to duty station. Due to frequent change, military spouses often have to search for a new job in every location. If your profession requires a license, like teaching, you might be required to re-license in a new state, which costs a military spouse job seeker time and money.
This process is hard on military families because paying for more education or testing to obtain the new license comes on top of the cost of moving and setting up a household. In addition, the family has also lost a second income. The length of time the family will remain in the location, the state’s requirements, and the cost, all factor into whether the military spouse will seek the new license and look for employment.
If you find yourself in this situation, don’t get frustrated or give up. Your path may be a little more difficult than your civilian counterpart, but it will give you new opportunities to learn. It will make you better prepared to handle changes and challenges that come your way. When you find yourself frustrated, take a breath and consider thinking outside the box. Teaching is a skill that is used in many different classrooms in the local community.
So, if you happen to go to a state that will not take your license, or has different requirements, consider other options.
What are your options?
1. Grants, local programs, and employers will sometimes pay for your recertification. And if you are enrolled in programs like Teach for America they may let you teach while you are obtaining the license. Always call the education board and the local community college and ask for information on programs that might help you get your license.
2. Consider a virtual position that hires teachers to teach online. You might find one with k12.com or tutor.com, as well as some states and colleges.
3. Consider a career that is in the teaching field or needs teachers. Local community colleges hire teachers to teach continuing education. Preschools hire teachers. Prisons hire teachers. Companies hire teachers. Software and textbook companies hire teachers.
4. Volunteer to keep your work experience current and to test out new careers.
What you don’t want to do is get a different degree in a new career field that is not transferable. If you want to teach again, your time is better spent working in the education field in a different role. If you are going to pursue additional education, it should be to teach new grades or special certifications to remain active.
Most importantly, do not get discouraged or give up. A new opportunity will be available to you if you are networking with other professionals and remain current in your chosen field.
