Industry Outlook for Instructional Coordinators

The first thought that comes to mind when education occupations are mentioned is the field of teaching; however there are a number of positions available within the field of education environment that do not involve classroom teaching.

Instructional coordinators provide ongoing training for teachers, administrators and school districts

As minimum education standards increase across the nation, it is expected that occupations for non teacher trainers will continue to increase.

Instructional coordinator positions are also commonly known as:

• Curriculum Specialists
• Teacher Trainers
• Facilitators
• Staff Development Specialists

Teacher trainers perform a variety of tasks and quite often specialize in the service they provide. The primary function of staff development specialists is to provide required staff development to educators.

This may be accomplished through:

• Training teachers
• Develop instructional materials
• Assess the quality standards of instructional programs and schools
• Review promising textbooks
• Perform evaluations to determine the success or failure of a school’s curriculum

As technology becomes more standardized in classrooms and technological concepts continue to expand, many instructional coordinators are choosing to specialize their work in the implementation of technology in the classroom.

Employment Opportunities for Instructional Coordinators

Employment opportunities for staff development specialists can be found in local and state education as well as private education.

A number of positions can also be found in the field of education consulting firms

School districts may hire their own instructors, however many positions seem to be available on a regional basis where coordinators serve a number of school districts located within a particular region or section of their state.

It is not anticipated that budget cuts will hamper the growth of occupations for staff development specialists.

Individuals who specialize in areas that are currently under focus such as math, reading and science are expected to find the greatest employment opportunities as well as better paying positions.

In addition, individuals with experience or training in English as a second language can also expect to find more and better paying employment prospects.

Job Search for Instructional Coordinators

Open positions for teacher trainers are not typically found in the classifieds section of newspapers. Job seekers looking for work in this field will usually find employment opportunities either by work of mouth, education message boardsand web sites as well as private recruitment firms.

Cover Letters for Instructional Coordinators

The cover letter used to apply for a position as an curriculum specialist should always mention where and how the candidate heard about the position. Qualifications and prior achievements play a key role in the selection of a candidate in this field. Former teachers and administrators should use the cover letter as an opportunity to play up their experiences in the classroom and especially any awards and special achievements garnered during their tenure.

Resumes for Instructional Coordinators

Both a chronological and a curriculum vitae resume are appropriate when applying for work as a teacher trainer. Work experience and education are vital to successfully obtaining a position in this field.

Training & Qualifications Instructional Coordinators

At a very minimum, a bachelor’s degree is required in order to obtain work as a staff development specialist.

In most cases, employers require a graduate degree

A large majority of staff development specialists are former teachers and administrators who have either chosen to leave classroom teaching or who are retired from the classroom and have opted to pursue work as teacher trainers for financial and personal reward reasons.

Instructional coordinator positions are often very attractive to teachers and retired teachers because of the income potential. The average earnings across the nation for staff development specialists are usually significantly more than that of the average classroom teacher.

As educational standards and technological concepts continue to increase and develop, facilitators are required to stay on top of the latest trends in education. Continuing education classes can be very beneficial in this regard and are often required by employers.

Advancement opportunities are available in the field of teacher trainers; offering higher paying positions and positions that offer greater responsibility.

Good luck in your job search for non teaching positions in education !