The field of education involves meeting needs and developing skills in the areas of education, vocation and personal development, as well as identifying future directions in the field and facilitating change. Education is usually associated with teaching, whether at schools or in universities, but it is also relevant to pre-school children as well as adults of any age, and there are many specialist roles and areas of expertise.

What skills do I need?
A career in education is worth considering if you enjoy communicating and have a genuine interest in helping people to develop their potential at a range of different levels. Other important qualities include creativity, organizational skills, flexibility, the ability to work in a team and, depending on the area you work in, an enthusiasm for and in-depth knowledge of a specific subject. If you are passionate about a particular subject, teaching could be an excellent choice for you.

While teachers and lecturers will be given the facts to impart to students, it is their responsibility to find effective ways of getting the message across. Besides preparing for lessons, teachers also evaluate and report of students progress. A teacher at a primary or secondary school might sometimes be called to organize excursions or fun events for students.

University or college lecturers might be required to do less of the "extra-curricular" duties such as organizing student events. They are however required to understand the subjects that they teach in a much more detailed fashion. It is extremely common to see university lecturers who are doctorate holders or full-time professionals themselves. Teaching style is usually not creative at this level, as students learn mostly on their own initiative.

Entry requirements
Entry requirements vary according to the specific area of education and country worked in, but most roles require some kind of specialist training. The majority of teachers in schools need a recognized basic teaching qualification, which can be taken at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

To work in remedial or special needs teaching requires a relevant specialist qualification, which is often taken after an initial teaching qualification and a minimum amount of teaching experience in schools. Various qualifications are available for those wishing to work as careers guidance counselors. Educational psychologists normally take a first degree in psychology, a teacher training qualification and a Masters in educational psychology.

At third-level education in-depth subject knowledge is essential, normally through attaining a doctorate; a formal teaching qualification is not always required, however. Holding a postgraduate course in adult education will enable appointment to important organizational roles.