S2 Ep 8. Beyond UX: Teacher Skills That Translate to Other Careers

The episode highlights the transferable skills educators possess that can open new career pathways outside teaching. I discuss how teacher skills can pave the way for successful careers in areas like curriculum design, project management, policy-making, and more. 

• Exploring the adaptability of teaching skills 
• Importance of communication and collaboration 
• Leadership experiences gained in the classroom 
• Career transition opportunities for teachers 
• Emphasizing the value of networking and mentorship 
• Strategies for leveraging teaching skills in new areas 
• Defining actionable steps for career transition 
• Encouragement to embrace new possibilities and futures

Episodes mentioned in this one:

S1 E10. Communicating Your Why in Job Interviews

S1 E5. The Art of Networking When Changing Careers

Transcript

Coach Zee: 0:00

Hello teacher friends, Welcome to the UX Teacher Prep Podcast. This is Coach Z. Before we dive in today, I have some exciting news. If you're subscribed to the newsletter, you'll already receive this by email. You can now join my premium subscription, where you'll get access to a bonus Q&A session every single month. That means you'll get to pick my brain and ask me anything, no holds barred. That means you'll get to pick my brain and ask me anything, no holds barred. It's a fun way for us to connect more personally, and your support helps us keep creating great content for listeners like you. We're getting close to our one-year anniversary of this podcast launch and I wanted to say thanks for being a part of this incredible journey with me. I've reached so many teachers and so many even non-teachers and helped people build the courage to put themselves out there and make a career change, and it feels just amazing. Now let's get into today's episode.

Narrator: 0:54

Welcome to the UX Teacher Prep Podcast, the ultimate destination for educators who aspire to break into the field of user experience and product design. Your host, z Arnold, a 15-year teacher turned UX researcher, is here to guide, coach and mentor you through every twist and turn as you make your career transition into tech. If you're ready for a more satisfying career and lifestyle and you want the balance to unleash your creativity, this podcast is for you. Now for the show.

Coach Zee: 1:39

Okay, so I'm a senior UX researcher in edtech and I usually talk about transitioning into UX careers like UX designer, ux researcher, ux writer, but lately I've been speaking to folks who are wanting to move into other career paths. Some of them are not sure if UX is right for them, or they just want to explore other things, and I think that's great, because your skills as a teacher transfer to so many other positions Besides. The UX job market is pretty shaky right now and folks are having a hard time transitioning over. So I totally get it and, as you know, a lot has been going on in the workforce in the past few months. So I am here to tell you that there is still hope for you, because the fact is that companies still need to run. So teaching isn't just about education right. It's about inspiring others, building relationships and being adaptable in ways that can transfer seamlessly into a range of other industries. When we think of teaching, we tend to focus on the subject matter, but in reality, it's so much more than that. It's about understanding people, guiding them through challenges and helping them grow. And, believe it or not, these skills can translate into a variety of careers, from UX design to project management to HR. So today we're going to explore how these hidden gems that you already have as a teacher are not only valuable in the classroom, but in other career paths as well.

Coach Zee: 2:53

First, let's talk about some hidden teacher skills that you might not even realize you have, but they are highly transferable to other careers. Two of the most powerful skills that you have are communication and collaboration. So in the classroom, you're constantly engaging with students, tailoring your approach to meet diverse learning needs, and you're working closely with your colleagues, with parents, with admin. And this ability to communicate clearly, listen actively and collaborate effectively it doesn't just stay within the walls of a classroom. It's incredibly valuable in careers like UX, research, but also design, project management, training and development right. And then there's problem solving and critical thinking. As teachers, we analyze so much data, whether it's student performance or behavioral trends, and we use that data to find creative, very creative solutions to learning challenges. So being able to adapt and think critically under pressure is a skill that translates into every single field when you're tasked with improving processes or developing strategies. Your ability to solve complex problems can set you apart in many industries, and I think we all know that teachers solve hundreds of problems every single day, and let's not forget about the most important one in my opinion, which is leadership and management.

Coach Zee: 4:17

As a teacher, you are a natural leader. You lead your students, you inspire, motivate and guide your students towards success, but you also manage a classroom right Classroom management. You organize lesson plans. You work with different stakeholders to achieve shared goals within the school and the district. This level of leadership is highly sought after in roles like training and development, where you're supposed to be leading teams and ensuring that there are effective learning experiences for the employees. So you have that leadership hat on every time you step into the classroom, and even when you're working on your lesson planning and working at home, and whenever you're doing your work as a teacher, you are a leader.

Coach Zee: 5:00

Okay, now let's talk about some career paths where teachers can truly shine, and I wouldn't be myself if I didn't start with UX, research and design. I have to get this out of the way first. Teachers have a deep understanding of human behavior, learning styles and needs, and this makes you uniquely qualified to step into the world of user experience, research and design, which is where I am right now. I'm almost three years into my new career and it just feels amazing to be able to transfer my teacher skills and seamlessly work in this industry. Okay. So, understanding the needs of users is the core of your job and user experience. Your ability to conduct research, gather insights and create user-centered solutions is directly aligned with your work. That you do as a UX professional, plus your experience in simplifying complex ideas and presenting them clearly as a teacher, make you a great communicator with users and team members. So this is really my ideal transition.

Coach Zee: 5:58

So next is training and development. As a teacher, you're essentially a lifelong learner and a facilitator of knowledge. These qualities are critical when you're transitioning into a training role. You'll be responsible for creating and delivering engaging training programs for adults, employees or leading workshops. The ability that you have already to break down information, engage your audience and foster a positive learning environment it just makes you a perfect fit for training and development. Now, I know a lot of people don't want to go into training and development because in a lot of places there's a lot of travel involved. But if there's not and you don't want to travel, it's a good fit for you, and if you love to travel, it might be a great fit for you.

Coach Zee: 6:44

Next is project management. As a teacher, you're already managing multiple projects at once. That's what teachers do Every unit every school year. Those are all projects, right. You're lesson planning, you're grading, you're meeting, you're collaborating with other teachers, you're planning projects for the end of the semester, your backwards planning and looking at assessments. All of that involves organization, time management and working to achieve shared goals with your co-teachers or your principal or whoever you're working with in your school. Now, these skills are exactly what's needed in project management, where you're working with in your school. Now, these skills are exactly what's needed in project management where you're going to be leading teams, organizing tasks, managing timeliness and in making sure that projects are completed on time and on budget and, as you know, as a teacher, there's barely a budget and if you can do that, then you can definitely work as a project manager. Okay, I'm going to give you four more careers that you can transition into.

Coach Zee: 7:46

Next one is curriculum design. So this should come as a no-brainer to you, right? Teachers are naturally curriculum designers. You spend your years crafting lesson plans, adapting content to meet your learners which is your students right and ensuring that the educational materials are engaging and effective. So, in the field of curriculum design, you would be applying the same skills to develop educational programs, training materials and resources for schools, or even for corporate settings or online educational platforms, and so understanding pedagogy, learning outcomes and the nuances of student engagement. It gives you a distinct advantage when you're creating curricula that promotes deep understanding and skill development. So, as a teacher, your ability to break down complex topics and present them in a digestible way is a crucial asset for designing comprehensive and inclusive educational experiences.

Coach Zee: 8:41

Next one education policy. Now, if you have spent time in the classroom, you likely encountered the impact of policy on your teaching practice and it's 2025, so I think we all know how policy is affecting teaching right now. If you want to have a voice in the education policy space, then this is the career transition for you. See, teachers have firsthand insight into what works in education and what doesn't, making them well-equipped to shape policies that can improve schools, teacher development and, of course, student outcomes. You could work for government agencies, think tanks or non-profit organizations, but your understanding of how policy directly affects the classroom add that, with your communication and problem-solving skills, you will be able to advocate for systemic change In education policy. You would be involved in researching, analyzing and influencing decisions that affect the educational landscape on a larger scale. So if that sounds like something you're interested in, definitely look into education policy.

Coach Zee: 9:44

Next one is college professor. So for those of you who still love the world of academia but want to step into a more specialized role, becoming a college professor or an adjunct can be an excellent path for you. Teachers already possess the fundamental skills that you need to succeed in higher education, like effective communication, engagement strategies and a passion for helping others learn. So as a college professor, you would not only teach, but you would also contribute to academic research, curriculum development and the mentorship of students pursuing their own careers. So your background in adapting to diverse learning styles and leading classroom discussions is going to serve you well in this dynamic environment of a college or a university, where fostering critical thinking and academic growth is the most important thing. I will say that in some instances, being a college professor or adjunct professor might not pay as much as some of the other fields, but if you're passionate about this, I say go after it, even if it's part-time.

Coach Zee: 10:45

And the last one I want to tell you about is a career in business with an MBA. I know some people are leaving teaching and they still have that desire to get another certification, another degree, so that's why I'm throwing this one in there. So for teachers who are looking to make the leap into business, open your own business or just wanting to have that business acumen, pursuing an MBA can be a powerful way to gain that additional experience that you need to thrive in the corporate world. Of course, this is going to involve money. Most programs are not free, but you can find free or subsidized MBA programs. So a lot of the skills developed in teaching are directly transferable to business roles. It could be managing teams, organizing projects, leading initiatives. Those are all transferable. Teachers are already good at communicating, negotiating and decision making, and those are all essential for success in a business. So if you earn an MBA, you gain a deeper understanding of business strategy, finance and operations, which will complement your leadership and problem-solving experience, and so this combination puts you in a good position for roles like management, human resources, consulting or entrepreneurship, where you can lead teams, you can drive growth and you can apply your educational expertise in new and innovative ways.

Coach Zee: 12:04

All right, so we're wrapping up here. I know you're probably wondering how do you make the leap from teaching to one of these exciting new careers, and it starts with building your bridge. So let's talk about some actionable steps that you can take to successfully transition. First, leverage your expertise on your resume and in your cover letter if you're writing one highlight the transferable skills that you have developed as a teacher. Make sure they match the role that you're looking for. Be specific and talk about how you've worked with diverse groups, solved complex problems and led teams, because that's what employers want to see. I do have an episode about this and you can check that out in the show notes. Next, network and connect. The world is full of people who were once in your shoes and have successfully made the transition to a new career, like myself, right. So attend industry events, reach out to professionals in your target field and build relationships that could lead to new opportunities. I do have an episode on this as well, and I will link that in the show notes about networking. And finally, seek out mentorship. Find someone who's walked the path that you're considering and ask them for guidance. A mentor can provide valuable insights, introduce you to new contacts and offer advice on how to make the transition as smooth as possible, because they have been there.

Coach Zee: 13:25

Now, before we wrap up, let's talk about embracing your future. As a teacher, you have a wealth of skills that can propel you into new and exciting career paths. Don't limit your potential. I know this podcast is about transitioning into UX, but I know also that there are so many other careers that you can transition into. So be confident and be bold and take the first step towards something new. The skills that you honed in the classroom are extremely valuable, and there are countless opportunities out there waiting for someone like you to take them on. So, no matter what career path you choose, know that your future is bright. Your teaching experience has equipped you with the tools you need to make a difference in a new field, and I really believe that. So take what you learned, apply it and go make an impact. Thank you for listening to this episode and we'll talk soon.

Narrator: 14:19

Hey, if you like this podcast, hit, follow and scroll down to leave a five-star rating. Then share it with a friend. If you're looking for resources to help you on your tech transition journey, head over to uxteacherprepcom. Follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram at uxteacherprep for daily tips and motivation. Have a topic you'd like to hear addressed on the show? Send us a DM on Instagram. If you're listening on YouTube, like, subscribe and share. Until next time, be well.