Early career transition among education graduates

Browne Peters, Lisa (2001) Early career transition among education graduates. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The intent of this study was to identify the main issues related to early teacher career transition among Education graduates from Memorial University of Newfoundland, to highlight the alternate career choices of some graduates who have left teaching to enter into other employment sectors and to determine how their Education backgrounds helped to prepare them for work in other fields. The five research questions that guided this study included: What factors contributed to the career transition of Education graduates? What employment sectors now offer career opportunities for education professionals? What kind of satisfaction are former teachers experiencing in new careers? What skills, knowledge, and abilities acquired through Education programs are teachers using in other work settings? What new skills, knowledge, and abilities had to be learned for successful performance in new work settings? -- This study was conducted through three phases of research. The first phase involved a cohort analysis of the class of 1995 Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Music Education graduates, to determine whether they were teaching. The data collected in this phase led to the creation of a class employment profile. -- The second phase of the research involved the identification of eleven 1995 Education graduates who had left the teaching profession to work in other fields. These participants provided information pertaining to their reasons for leaving the teaching profession, the fields in which they were employed and their perceptions of how well their teacher preparation has contributed to their employment success. -- The third and final phase of the study involved the identification of work associates of the Education graduates. These associates provided their views on the knowledge, skills and performance of the Education graduates in their new place of employment. -- The data analysis revealed that 67.5% of the contacted Education graduates were teaching in a public school system. An additional 4% were also teaching in other educational settings, (i.e. private colleges, universities etc.). I was also able to identify the employment status of the graduates who were not teaching and discovered that the two most commonly occurring alternatives to teaching were returning to school for further educational opportunities and working in technology-based industries. The most common reason for seeking work in other sectors was the inability to find a secure, full-time teaching position. This was followed by financial concerns, (i.e. could not afford to wait for a full-time position), and an interest in finding employment opportunities offering better pay. -- The findings of the research conducted in this study support the notion that career transitions have become very commonplace occurrences in today's society. Motivated by a variety of factors ranging from an inability to find initial work in a chosen field, to displeasure with a current position, many people are searching for new employment opportunities. It is clear that career changes are being viewed as natural and anticipated processes, which can ultimately lead to professional fulfillment and personal happiness. The information provided by both the graduates and their work associates supports the claim that teachers are very likely candidates for such career transitions and it also demonstrates that teachers are suitable candidates for employment in areas outside of education. -- The findings of this study create implications for many educational organizations, (i.e. the NLTA, school boards, the Department of Education and Memorial University of Newfoundland), as well as for Education students and graduates. The information collected over the course of the research is not intended to be representative of the larger general population of Education graduates, but rather it represents the views of a small sample. It is reasonable to assume that these views may be consistent with those of others in similar situations. In order to gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the factors related to teacher career transitions and teacher employment in other fields, further exploration of the issues examined in this study is required. This thesis is intended to serve as a starting point for further research.

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