Should I be an education consultant?

So...what do education consultants do?

Are they education counsellors? Well, yes and no.

It depends on their clients' needs. While they often work with schools and school boards at a high level, they can also provide education counselling to parents and students.

Education consultants mostly:

• Work with schools to evaluate their curriculums and suggest changes.

• Help schools design new educational programs, advising them on "structure, content, and objectives."

• Collaborate with teachers to create learning materials and resources.

What do they bring to the table?

• They can advise parents and students "on educational planning, career choices, and post-secondary options."

• They offer innovative curriculum improvements.

• They train teachers and host education workshops.

If you're interested in pursuing a long-term career in education after gaining some teaching experience or an education degree, being an education consultant is a great way to make an impact on students.

In a typical day, an education consultant might:

• Create learning materials or plans for specific programs.

• Deliver support materials to particular groups of learners or individual students.

• Host workshops and events for educators on various topics.

Exact requirements will vary between countries, regions, and jobs, but you can expect to obtain at minimum a bachelor's degree in education, human resources, business, or psychology.

Masters degrees in the following programs can be useful to become an expert:

• Curriculum and instruction

• Educational leadership

• Education technology and instructional design

Your role will be based in an office if you work for a school or educational institution, or you might work remotely as a freelancer. There may be travel, as you'll often meet with clients or observe school environments.

In either scenario, you will have tight deadlines and multiple projects to manage.

The average annual salary for an education consultant in Canada is CAD $72,529.

The average annual salary for an education consultant in the United States is USD $69,327.

How much do similar professions get paid in the United States?

• Career consultant: average $45,253 per year

• College consultant: average $55,367 per year

• Learning and development consultant: average $71,027 per year

You'll love it if you...

• Have the ability to work on more than one project at once.

• Love to work with a team, but also on your own initiative.

• Can master the ability to meet tight deadlines.

• Have a passion for education.

Look for another career if you...

• Wouldn't like working with tight deadlines and juggling projects.

• Building up your own network and maintaining relationships with clients sounds stressful.

• Prefer to have direct contact with learners in the classroom.

If you think this role is a good fit for you, note some key questions that you might be asked in future interviews:

• "What strategies do you use to ensure that the programs you design are effective?

• "How do you assess student learning?"

• "What challenges have you faced while implementing new educational programs?"