In North America today, many employers are looking for applicants who have some education beyond secondary school. Not every young person has the money, desire or time to go to university or college right out of high school. Instead, they choose to return to school as adults. Learning as an adult is different from learning as a 20-year-old. Adult students have families, mortgages, and often, full-time careers. These students are looking to advance in their present job, or learn to speak a new language in preparation for a trip. Adult educators work in community centers, at colleges and in businesses, teaching everything from two-hour classes to six-month courses.
They teach a variety of subject matter, including community and health services, business and computers, performing arts, trades training, dental hygiene, welding, law, security, cooking, literacy, film studies, and mechanics, to name but a few. They are experts in their subjects. Sometimes, they are practicing writers, artists, mechanics or chefs, who have decided to teach their skills to others as a career change.
Regardless of their training and experience, they all have the same goals when it comes to their jobs -- they want to help older students become successful, well-trained experts in their chosen field. They supply students with knowledge and skills that they wouldn't be able to get from anywhere or anyone else.
Adult educators need to be motivated, independent, and very knowledgeable in one or two areas of interest.
They should have excellent reading, researching and writing skills, be dedicated to learning, and enjoy lecturing on and discussing issues with others. Educators are also required to be hard-working and organized, with a natural curiosity as well as creative skills. They must also enjoy working with adults and should be respectful of all students and their learning capabilities. They need critical thinking skills, good communication skills and the ability to work alone as well as in groups.
Typical Tasks
Plan and teach courses
Use a variety of instructional techniques
May evaluate student performance and assignments
Prepare teaching materials and outlines for courses
May prepare, administer and mark student assignments and examinations
Meet with students and advise them one-on-one
Work as guest lecturers, consultants and resource personnel
Organize and coordinate curriculum and course schedules
Take care of any other administrative duties
Adult educators spend each day thinking, reviewing other people's thoughts and theories and developing ways to bring those ideas to the classroom. They challenge adults to think, analyze, and develop their practical and intellectual capabilities. They travel for conferences, to assist in developing programs and curriculums, and for research purposes. They spend most of each day indoors.
Workplaces, Employers and Industries
Adult educators work anywhere there are adults looking to learn. They can be found on community and agricultural college campuses, technical institutes, language schools, Bible colleges, businesses, vocational schools, job training centers and community organizations. They may teach a one-night Origami for Beginners class or a one-year course in self-defense for seniors. They spend their time in classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories, offices and libraries where they read, write, teach and research. They also meet one-on-one with students, either in classrooms or offices, where they answer questions about the students' projects, papers or development.
Teaching schedules vary -- courses may be offered full or part-time, during the day, on evenings or weekends. Many adult educators work part-time.
Long Term Career Potential
An adult educator could teach any number of subjects in any number of locations. They can train to become a high school teacher, college instructor, university professor or elementary school teacher. They can get into recreation programming, counseling or write books on their area of expertise.
Educational Paths
There is no set path to take to become an adult educator. Depending on the subject they want to teach, individuals may need anything from a PhD (for work at a university level) or maybe they need to have run a successful business (to teach entrepreneurship), or maybe they will need to have completed several advanced classes in first aid and lifesaving (if they want to teach CPR). Whatever it is prospective adult educators want to teach, they will need some solid experience or training in order to qualify as an expert.
Beyond specific training or experience, a teaching certificate, diploma or degree in adult education is a definite asset. Educators in technical institutions normally hold professional or technical certification and may be required to have a license for their particular field of expertise. Depending on where they work, staff development programs related to instructional methods and teacher-student relations are usually made available to those instructors who do not have formal teacher training.
