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education as a second career

Education as a Second Career: Joining the profession

Stanley Yip, Manager: Learning Design Hub at AISNSW, shares why he chose to become a teacher. Stanley can still remember the exact moment he decided to become a teacher.

“The third of May 2005, that day in the early morning I was called by an ex-workmate that I highly respected and she asked me if I could deliver a one-day course on multimedia as the teacher had had to pull out.”

Not yet having had any formal teacher training, Stanley was nervous but as the day went on he started to feel more relaxed and comfortable at the front of the classroom. Stanley describes the rest of the day, almost 20 years later. “I was sharing my knowledge, experiences, skills, and we’re all collaboratively discussing what I was passionate about. I could see the light bulb moments in the learners popping up throughout the day; I was helping others, and I was learning too. I can still vividly recall that night reflecting on the day and saying to myself, wow, that was unexpected. It turned out to be really good day and it felt natural, and really purposeful. That was it – in my head, I said yes, I’m going to be a teacher.”

Teaching is a career that is always in demand, where no two days are the same and you can make a difference in the lives of young people. It offers diversity, with every day bringing new challenges and opportunities to make a real difference. Many educators come to this profession following careers in other fields, drawn by community engagement, and the fulfilling task of guiding the next generation.

Jeremy Lister is a teacher at Emmanuel Anglican College and was part of the inaugural AISNSW Early Career Experience cohort in 2023. Jeremy shared his reason for making the change to education. “During the pandemic, I realised there was a huge gap in people’s critical thinking skills. I realised I could do something about that, so went back to university and try to inspire the next generation to think as critically as they can.” Prior to teaching, Jeremy had a career as an engineer, then in Operations and Sales.
 
Sandra Duggan, Education Consultant (Effective Schools Services/Perspectives) at AISNSW took a different path. After completing her initial teaching degree, she worked as a teacher for 5 years. However, at the end of that time, she wanted to try something different. Sandra worked as a university lecturer, in a media agency, in retail management and conducting postgraduate research. Just like in the movies, it was Sandra’s first choice that called her back, and she returned to teaching.

“When I returned to teaching, I took up a position in a regional boys’ school. I knew I would be able to offer new ways of looking at the world, using cutting edge theories and contemporary learning approaches. I had time and confidence to professionally network. I had leadership skills to offer. All of this made me a better teacher. I felt fulfilled”.

Becoming a Teacher infographic

As part of the Growing and Nurturing Educators initiative, this infographic has been designed to guide those who are interested in pursuing a career in education. It offers practical advice, highlighting key components of pathways into teaching including the various degrees available, university entry requirements, and the significance of teaching as a profession.

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