Learn for Life with a High Opportunity Career in Education
A career in education can offer opportunities for learning and personal growth, all while supporting students on their education journey.
We spoke with two education professionals in B.C. about what motivates them to keep learning and pass on knowledge at their jobs.
Kevin Wilcox, Teacher, Mount Douglas Secondary School
Shannon Sonke, Early Childhood Educator (ECE), Camosun College Childcare
Why did you decide to go into education?
Kevin:
I took a co-op course in high school working in an elementary school with motivated teachers, which got me hooked.
Teacher’s education in university is a cool community. Everybody is there with a shared interest, a passion for learning and a passion for learning how to best reach students. It’s an empowering environment.
Shannon:
As a teenager I always had a natural rapport with children. I enjoyed working with kids in my youth, from babysitting to summer jobs, and when I took my first ECE program in postsecondary I wholeheartedly enjoyed it.
Kids are a blank slate, and you can do so much with that early on in their life to start them off on the right track.
What opportunities are there for you to learn on the job and how do you keep yourself informed?
Kevin:
There are professional development days from the union and the province. More of it comes from an internal drive to want to learn more about your own subjects and how to best inform your learners in a way that they can grasp onto and apply knowledge.
There’s a desire to pass on the knowledge, skills and aptitude to the students, not just to learn, but to be able to apply that learning.
Shannon:
My coworkers are definitely a good source of information. I took a professional development course last year with the BC Early Years Professional Development Hub, who offer webinars and seminars where you can learn on your own time. It’s a wonderful toolkit.
Early Childhood Educators of BC’s Learning Outside Together program is also a great resource for ECEs to work with and learn from Indigenous communities and educators.
What do you learn from your students?
Kevin:
You continue to learn what the next generation is interested in, what they prioritize and hopefully you learn how to meet them where they are so you can teach them effectively while navigating your relationships with them. It definitely keeps you informed.
It’s important to keep yourself on the pulse of the lives of the young people in our community and their experiences.
Shannon:
The kids absolutely teach me how to respect and connect with nature and slow down your daily life.
I’ve gained appreciation for everything, especially the small and happy moments. I’ve learned a lot about myself too, especially about how I’m behaving, because you always want to model behaviour for these kids, to be the best example for them. So, I take more time to think about how I’m speaking to others and speaking to the students. They’re almost like a little mirror into yourself.
What are the most fulfilling parts of your job?
Kevin:
When the kids have those “AHA!” moments, or when they take a concept and apply it in a way that shows that they grasp it or can use it to transform their thinking, or to do something that they might not have been able to do before.
Shannon:
When I’m teaching a lesson or having a teachable moment about having empathy or how to speak to somebody in a nice way and see the kids using the tools that I’ve taught or modeled for them, it feels special to know that you’re making a difference.
When a child gets excited that you’re in their group for the day and that they want to be at school, it feels so good to instill this love of learning at a young age.
Do you have any tips for people looking to enter the education industry?
Kevin:
Go to a school and volunteer, see what makes a school tick. Observe the relationships between teachers and students, the administration teams and teachers. Get your feet into schools and don’t be afraid to dive right in and help where you can.
You get to constantly share your learning. Sometimes we get to learn for ourselves, but in teaching you get to learn and share that with an audience and drive them to do all kinds of powerful and creative things.
You want to become confident in the way you’re learning and your approach to learning. It’s important to recognize the way I learn something isn’t the way that it’s going to be learned by each student. So be aware of how you present that knowledge and experience in a way that helps you meet kids where they’re at.
Shannon:
Reflect on your passion with it: does it make you smile to be around kids? Are you happy being around them? Does it feel natural?
Don’t separate the learning from the fun and the relationships—at this stage we’re scaffolding their learning—they show us what they’re interested in and we’re building on that. It’s important to learn how to manage your control. The educator must sometimes take a bit of a back seat and let the kids guide the learning. You provide the building blocks and the guidance, but it’s important to let their interests show through.
Education careers in B.C.
If you’re looking for a social career and enjoy helping others, check out these high opportunity careers in education in B.C.:
- Early childhood educators and assistants
- Elementary school and kindergarten teachers
- Secondary school teachers
- College and other vocational instructors
Find, and apply on, careers in education on the job board.
Educational Opportunities
EducationPlannerBC—Search for college and university programs in B.C. to start your career in education.
Find Your Path Tool — Learn about the steps you can take to realize your education goals to work in the Education Industry.
Career Search Tips