Top 5 Courses to Help Teachers Transition Into New Careers

Top 5 Courses to Help Former Teachers Transition Into New Careers

Whilst I was looking at other careers to pivot into, I researched so many courses to see which ones were actually going to be useful. I didn’t want to spend money on something unnecessary—especially if I could land a non-teaching job without it (which you absolutely can, by the way!). However, what I personally found when I was looking at different careers, was that I didn't understand the ins and outs of the job and I found that a course actually helped me learn what the job entailed and, more importantly, to see how my existing skills could transfer across.

If you're still on the fence about investing in a course, remember: courses aren't for recruiters, they're for you to improve your skillset. They're also something to refer to on your resume and can help you stand out in an interview. They certainly don't guarantee a job, but they're useful if you want to pivot into a particular career. Think of them as an additional string to your bow.

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

1) Instructional Design Foundations and Applications

I can personally vouch for this course. In my most recent interview, I was able to speak about what I had learnt and I believe this is what helped me stand out and land the job. At one point I could tell during the interview that the hiring manager was slightly concerned that I had only taught primary school-aged children, and there was a question around how my skills were going to transfer to adult learning. Without being able to refer to adult-led principles and instructional design theories like ADDIE, I don't think I would have had such a strong chance of being hired. The course via Coursera is very reasonable, and covers the theoretical and practical concepts of instructional design.

Other job titles this course would be relevant for:

• Learning Designer

• Course Developer

• Learning Experience designer

• Learning and Development Specialist

Still not sure whether instructional design is for you? Check out my other posts below:

• Success Stories: Interview with an Ex-teacher, come Instructional Designer

• How to Transfer from Teaching Into Instructional Design

2.) 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 program will cover: recruiting and onboarding, employee policies and procedures, employee engagement and work culture and legal and ethical considerations in HR.

3.) UX Designer

UI/UX design is in high demand, but the skills you learn on this course via Coursera are versatile—useful not just for UX roles, but also in marketing, web design, and human-computer interaction. If you’re a teacher looking to pivot into tech, the UI/UX Design Specialisation is a fantastic way to gain practical, career-ready skills.

UX (User Experience) Designers make websites and apps easy and enjoyable to use. They think about how people interact with digital tools and design interfaces that feel simple, clear, and engaging. A UI (User Interface) Designer focuses on how the app or website looks—the buttons, menus, colors, and layout. Together, UX and UI designers create products that are both useful and beautiful.

If you want to get started, you can enroll through my affiliate link and learn skills that can kickstart your tech career.

Another great course to help you get into tech and learn how to code, is She Codes. It’s designed specifically for women wanting to kickstart their careers in tech, with a really supportive community and hands-on projects. You don’t need to have any tech background to start, either, which is a huge pro. If you sign up to the course using my link, you'll get a 20% discount at checkout. 

Still unsure whether coding is for you? I've got a whole post dedicated to former teachers who have transferred successfully into tech below:

• How Teachers can Transfer into Tech Roles

• Jobs for former teachers Outside of Education

4.) Learning to Teach Online (Tutors)

If you're looking to start your own tutoring business, teaching students online or internationally, then this course goes into detail about how to make use of educational technology and how to engage better with your students. This course goes into detail about how to plan online activities to engage and motivate your online learners. As teachers, we are constantly doing this in our everyday teaching, but technology adds that extra layer, and the course explains how to manage your time effectively to make the maximum impact on your learners. Enroll on this course here.

5.) 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

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

This course goes into detail about working in the non-profit sector.

Job titles this course would be relevant for:

• Civil Service jobs

• Program 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.