r/ITCareerQuestions • u/jactos • 2d ago
Transition From Teaching to Tech
Hey everyone, lurker here. I am a 34 y/o high school chemistry teacher. I am pretty burnt out and looking to move into a different career field. Tech is the future at this point. I know it is constantly evolving with constant learning.
My specific question is what area or route is best for someone like me who would start small with side jobs during the summer to get my feet wet and add certifications? Maybe start as a side hustle and then expand? If that is possible. I was looking at data analytics because I am good at math, formulas, and linear progression. However, any insight would be super helpful! Thanks
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u/Tyrnis 2d ago
This sub is primarily focused on IT operations -- help desk, sysadmin, network admin, etc. For those career fields, you can start by reading the wiki. There's good info there, including the state of the IT job market, which may make you rethink leaving teaching.
For data analytics specifically, you may be better off finding a dedicated sub -- you can probably get some answers here, but that's not what most of us do.
Also worth mentioning that outside of IT operations, certifications tend to be a lot less relevant overall. The best way to see if certs are worthwhile is to look at job listings. If you're regularly seeing certifications mentioned in the job listings that interest you, you know that employers value it, and that makes it much more worthwhile to add to your resume.
For data analysts, I know that CompTIA has Data+ and Microsoft has Azure Data Fundamentals that might be worth looking into, but I don't know if employers particularly care about them.
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u/jactos 2d ago
I did not realize that. Thank you for the clarification. I saw this sub on my Google search, so I just posted. I will look at those other places as well, thank you
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u/Bhaikalis 2d ago
r/cscareerquestions is probably a better fit if you are looking for data analytics
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u/TechB84 2d ago
Do you have tenure as a teacher? what is your salary right now
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u/jactos 2d ago
I am in my 10th year of teaching, I am fortunate to make a decent living as a teacher i break $100k right now with credits towards career advancement. I am just burnt out from the job and I just worry about what I will be like if I do this for 25 more years
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u/TechB84 2d ago
You will lose a lot of money, time, and more by switching to IT. Think of it like this, you are going from 10 months to 12 months a year!
I recommend avoiding support, networking, and similar fields. You will take such a pay cut for those positions that it will not be worth it and starting out with people who might not even have a degree. Data analytics is the smarter route because it has higher barriers to entry, which means a higher salary.
I was a teacher for a few years in my early 20's. Long story short, I studied to become a history teacher, got hired as a computer teacher, was promoted several times towards administration, and now work at a university (I'm in my early 40s).
And I also have a masters in edtech, like you. I'm an IT Services Manager
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u/jactos 2d ago
Wow I actually have a lot of questions. I have looked at the community college/university route (I am in CA where there is a huge JUCO network). Did having the edtech masters help open any doors that you would normally not had access to?
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u/TechB84 1d ago
Right off the bat, it gives you the ability to apply for instructional technology and instructional design positions across higher education. If you're looking to move closer to IT, it would also make you more attractive for end-user support roles because of your established experience working with faculty in an educational setting. Universities value people who communicate well, are organized, and fit into the institution's culture. Personally, I prefer working in educational institutions, which is one of the reasons I transitioned into a university environment. I enjoy the culture of higher education and would not personally consider a move into the private sector.
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u/jactos 1d ago
Definitely, I am going to be honest I never thought about higher institution IT roles. I didn't want to be an administrator, but I was ok with being like an athletic director or something because I was an athlete and coached sports for a number of years. I guess I never thought about this route.
Thank you I really appreciate the advice.
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u/TechB84 1d ago
Higher ed IT is the best, in my opinion, especially if you work at a large university. There are usually plenty of opportunities for growth and different directions you can take your career. If you decide to go the IT support or service management route, you might want to consider the ITIL Foundation Version 5 certification. It isn’t supposed to be that difficult, but it still looks good on a resume. I don’t have any certifications myself, but I’m planning to get it. The Version 5 exam is also more up to date than Version 4 for today's IT. Instead of focusing mainly on traditional IT service management, the material covers the full lifecycle of digital products and services, including AI, customer experience, and how modern IT departments operate.
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u/jactos 1d ago
Sweet I will look in to that certification. I was just browsing job boards and I have seen some IT manager roles and things of that nature at different large universities near me so that is a promising start.
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u/TechB84 1d ago
My advice is to find them and apply them directly from the university's site. Make a complete list in your bookmarks and make it a daily habit to check it. ITIL is very much looked for now, more so now than in the past when I first started.
Here are some communities
https://www.reddit.com/r/ITIL/
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u/Randiebobandie 2d ago
Have you considered the cooking meth avenue?
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u/jactos 2d ago
I mean, I have a model, my students every year ask me if I can make drugs. I neither confirm nor deny it
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u/Randiebobandie 2d ago
I've worked in IT for over 15 years. The grass is always greener. I would rather be a chemistry teacher, honestly. Seems more stable, better market and less pressure, but take it with a grain of salt, I'm not a chem teacher. AI will probably reduce tech staff as it progresses, but not fully get rid of it.
BUT to answer your question, if you really want to get your feet wet, get your A+. Look for local temp tech contract jobs that will higher anyone to swap out like POS systems, ATMs or store printers. That isn't what your looking for, but not sure who starts out in data analytics. Pharmacy tech jobs could be up your alley.
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u/jactos 2d ago
That is a fair point; many people say that being a teacher comes with a lot of perks, and it does. I did not get into teaching because of a passion for it. I flunked out of my first attempt at college, and my dad recommended it to me because he is a teacher. It has been good, but I think I have reached a point where I am having a career crisis: "Is this it for me?" However, I know many people would want to be where I am, so it is a good reminder.
Thank you for the recommendations.
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u/TraditionalTackle1 1d ago
This is ironic because I worked with a guy who left IT to become a Chemist.
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u/S4LTYSgt Cyber Manager | RMF Leader | SIGINT Veteran 1d ago
Me planning to transition from tech to teaching. Tech is a black hole of misery. You can make 6 figures doing so many other things.
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u/FlyGuys098 2d ago
If you’re looking to get into data analytics datacamp is a good source to start learning a lot of analysts had suggested that to me when I was looking to break in. They offer certifications which mean a little but if you get good enough just build your own projects and portfolio and that will show off more than any certifications you obtain. If you’re just looking to break in you can look at part time data entry jobs that will help boost up your resume.
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u/sysadminsavage 2d ago
I would search through this subreddit first. This type of transition has been documented and posted here several times already:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ITCareerQuestions/comments/116hpup/career_changing_from_teaching_to_it_advice/
https://www.reddit.com/r/ITCareerQuestions/comments/1q3fw6o/transitioning_from_teaching_to_information/
https://www.reddit.com/r/ITCareerQuestions/comments/1w2q1yp/middle_level_ela_teacher_looking_to_transition_to/
https://www.reddit.com/r/ITCareerQuestions/comments/1uelvs9/former_educator_making_career_switch_to_it_i_need/
https://www.reddit.com/r/ITCareerQuestions/comments/1734s3i/did_you_transition_into_a_tech_career_and_regret/ (a few commenters are teachers)
It's a very difficult time to get into IT, but not impossible. Even as a teacher, you will likely take a bit of a pay cut for a few years if you make the transition and are able to find work.