Career midlife crisis - don't know what to do next...in education?

[hangingoutattheendofmywick]

So I have worked as a college teacher (Further Education) for 10 years. I have many really great qualifications in Education and this sector. BUT I absolutely hate it - it's more stress than I can handle and the pay is utterly shit.

Ive had time away from it to have children and now I need to start working again - what can I do?

I want a job that doesn't throw away my 10 years and all my quals - but isn't a teacher in a college.

Can anyone help with options of alternative roles within education... I am also able to do a masters this year or other qual to add to my CV - i have looked at SEN and child studies. I'm just lost as to what to do with my career - please, please help.

There's lots of sites with articles and questionnaires to assist in career change. Often it's about looking at what you enjoy and whether you can find work to suit. Also careers advice locally is worth looking for.

I personally wouldn't sign up to more studying until you are clearer about what direction you want to go in. Once you feel clearer about direction perhaps consider retraining?

Supply teachers get paid much more, so do tutors. You can work through an agency.
You can also transfer your skills to other areas of work, training adults etc.
Good luck with your options :)

Is there still a role for SIPs?

thanks everyone. You are right about not jumping into a course - i need to figure out what I actually want to do. It's so tough. I am not sure what a SIP is - I'm off to do a careers questionnaire.

Learning and development within a HR dept?

I think you need to spend some time analysing what you do and don't enjoy about the work. What do you find stressful? The students, the admin & bureaucracy, the planning, the commute... When you have worked that out (and you might already know but haven't said,) then you've got a clearer idea of alternatives which might work for you or not. Supply teaching would be good if you just don't want the longer term planning and bureaucracy, but not if you struggle with classroom discipline. Working in a company's L&D department could work well then, as you'd be working with adults. And if you go corporate, there's a chance the pay might be better. (I don't know for teaching, but I do know that for IT support, public sector is definitely not where the money is for equivalent jobs.)