Jobs That Require a Master's Degree in Adult Education

A job-seeker with a Master's degree in adult education has many options.

Graduates from an adult education Master's degree program have a number of job options upon entering the workforce. An individual with this graduate-level specialty is eligible for a variety of teaching jobs, as well as a career in corporate training or one that is based upon self-employment.

Adult Literacy and Remedial Education Schools

Adult education specialists are needed in GED and ESL programs.

A person who holds a Master's degree in adult education may choose to instruct adults and out-of-school youths. She can work as a basic adult education teacher, assisting students ages 16 and above in developing elementary-level skills. If an adult education professional wishes to focus on helping adults learn secondary-level skills to earn a GED or another high school equivalency, he can work as an adult secondary education or GED teacher. The GED teacher may also cover skills such as communication and critical-thinking that will enhance her students' workplace success rates in later employment. Also, a teacher with a Master's degree in adult education can find a place teaching English as a second language (ESL) or English to speakers of other languages (ESOL), helping non-English-speaking adults become fluent.

Another option is to work at a remedial education school. Students in these programs are not adults but youths who are not enrolled in an elementary or secondary school for a variety of reasons.

Vocational Education Schools

An adult education teacher at a vocational school may teach students how to operate industrial equipment and machinery.

A graduate of a Master's degree program in adult education has the option to teach at a vocational school. These schools are for adults who either have graduated from or left high school and seek continuing education at a lower level than baccalaureate studies. Vocational education teachers may teach at community colleges, correspondence schools or in online degree programs. In addition, vocational education specialists can teach people how to operate industrial machinery, equipment, and transportation vehicles or communications equipment.

Corporate and Community Opportunities

Adult education specialists can find work in the corporate sector leading professional development trainings.

Individuals with a specialty in adult education are needed in both the corporate sector and community organizations. A person holding a Master's degree in this field can provide training in the workplace, professional development, serve at human services agencies or even provide consulting support. Opportunities for the graduate of an adult education program may include employment in management, administrative support, grant writing, advocacy and public relations positions.

For the more intrepid adult education professional, self-employment is yet another option. Graduates may choose to work as self-enrichment instructors, teaching classes that are usually recreational in nature and not part of a degree-seeking program. The self-enrichment educator teaches subjects that he is competent in and typically passionate about. A self-enrichment course may be an art class in pottery or photography, a computer and technology course, dancing, a personal finance and budgeting topic and so forth. The opportunities in this area are virtually limitless but do require a person adept in communication, as does every career option in the field of adult education.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Adult Literacy and Remedial Education
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Vocational Education Teachers, Postsecondary
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Advocacy, Grantmaking, and Civic Organizations