Teacher
Nature of The Work
Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and
vocational subjects beyond the high school level. Most of theses students are
working toward a degree, but many others are studying for a certificate or
certification to improve their knowledge or career skills. Postsecondary
teachers include college and university faculty, postsecondary career and
technical education teachers, and graduate teaching assistants. Teaching in
any
venue involves forming a lesson plan, presenting material to students,
responding to students learning needs, and evaluating student progress. In
addition to instruction, postsecondary teachers, particularly those at 4-year
colleges and universities, also perform a significant amount of research in
the subject they teach. They must also keep up with new developments in their
field and may consult with government, business, nonprofit, and community
organizations.
College and university faculty make up the majority of postsecondary
teachers. Faculty usually are organized into departments or divisions, based
on academic subject or field. They typically teach several different related
courses in their subject—algebra, calculus, and statistics, for example. They
may instruct undergraduate or graduate students, or both. College and
university faculty may give lectures to several hundred students in large
halls, lead small seminars, or supervise students in laboratories. They
prepare lectures, exercises, and laboratory experiments; grade exams and
papers; and advise and work with students individually. In universities, they
also supervise graduate students’ teaching and research. College faculty work
with an increasingly varied student population made up of growing shares of
part-time, older, and culturally and racially diverse students.
Work Environment
Many postsecondary teachers find the environment intellectually stimulating
and rewarding because they are surrounded by others who enjoy their subject.
The ability to share their expertise with others is also appealing to many.
Most postsecondary teachers have flexible schedules. They must be present
for classes, usually 12 to 16 hours per week, and for faculty and committee
meetings. Most establish regular office hours for student consultations,
usually 3 to 6 hours per week. Otherwise, teachers are free to decide when and
where they will work, and how much time to devote to course preparation,
grading, study, research, graduate student supervision, and other activities.
Employment
Postsecondary teachers held nearly 1.7 million jobs in 2006. Most were
employed in 4-year colleges and universities and in 2-year community colleges.
Other postsecondary teachers are employed by schools and institutes that
specialize in training people in a specific field, such as technology centers
or culinary schools, or work for businesses that provide professional
development courses to employees of companies. Some career and technical
education teachers work for State and local governments and job training
facilities. The following tabulation shows postsecondary teaching jobs in
specialties having 20,000 or more jobs in 2006:
Job Outlook
Employment of postsecondary teachers is expected to grow much faster than
average as student enrollments continue to increase. However, a significant
proportion of these new jobs will be part-time and non-tenure-track positions.
Retirements of current postsecondary teachers should create numerous openings
for all types of postsecondary teachers, so job opportunities are generally
expected to be very good, although they will vary by the subject taught and
the type of educational institution.
Employment change. Postsecondary teachers are expected to grow by 23
percent between 2006 and 2016, much faster than the average for all
occupations. Because of the size of this occupation and its much faster than
average growth rate, postsecondary teachers will account for 382,000 new jobs,
which is among the largest number of new jobs for an occupation. Projected
growth in the occupation will be primarily due to increases in college and
university enrollment over the next decade. This enrollment growth stems
mainly from the expected increase in the population of 18- to 24-year-olds,
who constitute the majority of students at postsecondary institutions, and
from the increasing number of high school graduates who choose to attend these
institutions. Adults returning to college to enhance their career prospects or
to update their skills also will continue to create new opportunities for
postsecondary teachers, particularly at community colleges and for-profit
institutions that cater to working adults. However, many postsecondary
educational institutions receive a significant portion of their funding from
State and local governments, so expansion of public higher education will be
limited by State and local budgets.
Related Occupations
Postsecondary teaching requires the ability to communicate ideas well,
motivate students, and be creative. Workers in other occupations that require
these skills are preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary
school teachers; education administrators; librarians; counselors; writers and
editors; public relations specialists; and management analysts. Faculty
research activities often are similar to those of life, physical, and social
scientists, as well as to those of managers and administrators in industry,
government, and nonprofit research organizations.
Sources
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook
Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Teachers—Postsecondary, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos066.htm
(visited January 14, 2008).
