Top 5 Courses For Former Teachers Transitioning Into New Careers

Courses To Land Your Dream Job Outside The Classroom:

Here are the Top 5 courses for teachers wanting to learn new skills and pivot.

1.) Google Project Management Professional Certificate

If you're looking to get into project management (which you absolutely should as a teacher with transferable skills), you're good at being self-motivated, organised, an excellent communicator and able to delegate tasks efficiently, then Google is offering its certification program via Coursera. It consists of six courses at a pace of around 8-10 hours a week. A big pro is also that the course is self-paced, so if you're teaching full-time than you can complete the certification program as and when it suits you- there's no need to rush through the modules. This program also qualifies you for over 100 hours of project management education. View the certification course here.

Other job titles this course would be relevant for:

• Project Manager / Coordinator

• Team Leader

• Assistant / Senior Project Manager

• Project Scheduler

2.) Instructional Design Foundations and Applications

If you're tech savvy and enjoy creating lessons- but don't want to be based in a classroom - then this Instructional Design course I can personally vouch for. Instructional Designers basically do all the fun aspects of teaching, but without the stress of having pupils! This course is self-paced, and took me around 1-2 days to complete, but you can do it faster than that. 

Thanks to taking this course , in most recent interview I was able to speak confidently about adult-led theories and instructional design theories like ADDIE, which had been earlier gaps in my knowledge. ID's essentially create online learning and training programmes for companies.

If I hadn't taken this course, I don't think I would have stood out amongst other candidates. View the course here.

Other job titles this course would be relevant for:

• Learning Designer

• Learning Experience Designer

• Learning and Development Specialist

For more info about pivoting into Instructional Design, I've got you covered below:

• Primary Teacher to Program Officer/ Instructional Designer

3.) Google UX Design Professional Certification

If you're interested in UI/UX design (which you definitely should be - because it's one of the fastest-growing fields in tech) then this course is for you. This course offered by Google is incredibly practical, so you actually get to create designs on paper and using digital design tools like Figma. By the end of the certificate program, you will have a professional UX portfolio that includes three end-to-end projects, so that you’re ready to apply for jobs.

So what do UX Designers actually do?...

• UX (User Experience) Designers focus on making websites, apps, and digital tools easy, clear, and enjoyable to use. They think about how people interact with technology and design experiences that feel natural.

• UI (User Interface) Designers focus on the look and feel- the colors, buttons, menus, and layouts that make a product visually appealing.

Together, UX and UI designers create products that are both useful and beautiful, and that’s exactly the kind of thinking we teachers excel at: understanding how people learn, interact, and engage.  View the certification course here.

4.) HRCI Human Resource Associate Professional Certificate

HR is a solid pivot for a former teacher. You already have the skills needed to do HR roles, however some HR jobs require you to have a background in HR, or a certificate. After taking this course, you’ll receive a certificate from Coursera and also gain the necessary knowledge and skills to excel in this field. This programme covers recruiting and onboarding, employee policies and procedures, employee engagement and work culture and legal and ethical considerations in HR.

5.) Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector, Nonprofit Organisations, Nonprofit Leadership and Governance

This course goes into detail about working in the non-profit sector. As a Programme Officer, I found this course very relevant to many aspects of my job.

Job titles this course would be relevant for:

• Civil Service jobs

• Programme Officer

• Learning Advisor (non-profit sector)

• Team Leader

• Assistant / Senior Project Manager

• Membership Association roles

The course covers the basics of how nonprofit organisations work — their goals, structures, and how they’re funded — which is really useful if you’ve mostly worked in schools and haven’t had much exposure to that side of things. You’ll also learn about leadership and governance, how decisions are made, how boards operate, and how nonprofits measure their impact, which ties in nicely with the skills teachers already have: leading teams, managing projects, and communicating clearly.

Still not sure if a course is for you? Have a read of our success stories page to see how a course might help you pivot. Also have a read of my other posts below to see how you can transfer successfully into a new career:

I also highly recommend that you download this Resume Guide , for practical advice about how to make your resume sound like "teacher", and more corporate.

• How to Transfer from Teaching Into Instructional Design

• How To Transfer from Teaching into Learning and Development

• Leaving Teaching: What Life Looks Like After a Career Change