knowing what you know now would you choose the same career path?

[Kim&Chris]

For me, there was no career path.

I had to start working when I was 16. After high school, I couldn't afford college so I grabbed any full time job I could get. I eventually found a job with healthcare coverage, so I stayed there for a while but hated it. Later, I did eventually find a job I didn't hate, but it had no future because I didn't have a degree.

If I could've made a choice back then, I would have probably chosen something in healthcare.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Absolutely not!! I was a math teacher in high school. But if I had it to do all over again, I would have been a physical therapist. But when I was a young person, I didn't even know what a physical therapist was-no one in my family went to one, or if they did, they never mentioned it. Otherwise, if I'd stayed with math, I'd only teach adults, either GED (High School Equivalency) or industry-related, people who want to learn. But I'm fascinated by being a physical therapist.

 

[_19disnA]

You chose whatever career path at that time based on what you knew and whatever other information was available to you. There is no magical time machine you can step into and go back 20 or 30 years in the past armed with more recent information and perhaps decide to do something else. I approach it the same way I look at investing. You can't change the past or decide today what investments you should have made (or not made) in the past. Worrying about past decisions won't make the outcome any different. Life doesn't work that way.

 

[DawnM]

If I had known education would turn into what it has turned into, no. It was a good job when I started, 25 years ago. It is now a horrible job and I encourage no-one to go into it.

 

[TCRAIG]

I’ll answer with what I said when I was asked this question years ago in a job interview - ‘I WOULD HAVE MARRIED MONEY’ Actually - yeah - I ended up in tech as an application developer back in the late 70’s - retired 2 years ago. I really enjoyed my career.

 

[Toolulu22]

If I had known education would turn into what it has turned into, no. It was a good job when I started, 25 years ago. It is now a horrible job and I encourage no-one to go into it.

I feel the same. I am also seriously considering leaving after next year (I’ll have 24 yrs 5 mo next year). I’ll still work doing something else for a few years, but I am at the point where I can’t stand it anymore. I, too, steer anyone who shows interest in the field away.

 

[DawnM]

I feel the same. I am also seriously considering leaving after next year (I’ll have 24 yrs 5 mo next year). I’ll still work doing something else for a few years, but I am at the point where I can’t stand it anymore. I, too, steer anyone who shows interest in the field away.

The school districts seem content to hire non-credentialed teachers, most of whom leave within a few years. It saves them money for one thing.
I worry greatly about the state of education in this country. I worry for the teachers and students.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I wish I had known that speech therapy and occupational therapy were things when I was in school. I legitimately had almost no knowledge of these career choices and if I had....I would have gone that way.

 

[Mokat76]

Without a doubt. I loved what I did.

 

[White Cat]

No.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

Probably not, and that makes me sad. I think I was born to be a teacher. It is my calling, and I love being on the same schedule as my boys.

For the amount of education I have, I could be making a lot more money, however, and whole lot less stress. We are micromanaged, student behavior is awful, and the emphasis on state testing is ridiculous. My boys will be in 10th and 12th next year, and I am glad they are almost finished. Teacher turn-over is crazy and new teacher candidates are not all that great….