The Education Industry
Educators are responsible for guiding student learning at all ages. Teachers usually specialize in students of a specific age range or an instructional topic. For example, science teachers are trained to teach but are also knowledgable about science. Educators are used in private industry as well to develop training materials and presentations about any number of subjects. This career field requires creative problem solving and very strong interpersonal skills.
JRTI has one program to prepare you for working in the Education field. You will learn about this program in the next lesson.
Who Works in Education?
Example Job Titles
- Child Care Worker
- Licensing Specialist
- Teacher
- Classroom Aide
- Corporate Training Specialist
- College Professor
Education Requirements
Most educator roles require additional education after high school:
For Child Care Workers / Classroom Aides:
- High school diploma or GED
- May require a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or short-term training
For Teachers (Pre-K through High School):
- Bachelor’s degree in education or a specific subject area (like math, science, or English)
- Completion of a teacher preparation program (includes student teaching)
Certification & Licensure
Most teaching jobs require state certification:
- Apply for a state teaching license (requirements vary by state)
- Pass required exams (content knowledge + teaching skills)
- Complete background checks
Example College Programs
- Elementary Education – Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, WV
- Elementary Education – WVU, Morgantown, WV
- Elementary Education – Fairmont State University, Fairmont, WV
- Elementary Education – Concord University, Athens, WV
- Elementary Education – Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA
- Elementary Education – George Mason, Fairfax, VA
Frequency of Skills Used in this Field
| Skill Categories | Very Often | Often | Occasionally | Rarely |
| Hands-on/operate equipment and tools | X | |||
| Critical thinking/creative problem solving | X | |||
| Basic math problem solving | X | |||
| Advanced math problem solving | X | |||
| Computers & technology | X | |||
| Written communication | X | |||
| Interpersonal and social | X |