How to Earn a Teaching Degree Without Quitting Your Day Job
Posted On May 29,2025
If you’re unhappy in your current job, changing careers is tempting, but changing careers isn’t as easy as just saying you’re ready. If you think a career in early childhood education sounds like something you want to do, you will need to earn a teaching degree, and that means going back to school. But most working adults don’t have the luxury of quitting their jobs to return to school. Are you just destined to stay stuck in your current job? With the opportunities available for working adults, you don’t need to quit your day job to earn a teaching degree.
Feeling Stuck Doesn’t Mean You Need to Stay Stuck
Feeling unhappy or unfilled in your career can impact more than just your working hours. When you feel stuck in your job, everything can suffer. So why not just change careers to something you know you’ll love? Well, making a change isn’t always easy. The phrase “feeling stuck” was coined for a reason – moving forward feels hard. Sure, you have an idea of where you’d like to go, but there are real concerns that can’t be ignored. Do you have time to go back to school to pursue a new career? Can you afford the cost of tuition? Even if you can fit school into your schedule, won’t you burn out trying to work your day job while pursuing your new career? These are more than just little concerns.
However, it’s important to think long-term. Adding school to your schedule might be a challenge for a little while. However, when your program ends, you’ll be on your way to a new career you love. In two years, your life can look very different. But if you allow yourself to stay stuck, while you might avoid a busy schedule for the next two years, at the end of that time, you’ll be in the same place, frustrated with the same job. Moving forward can be scary, but the result is worth it. Staying stuck is safe, but nothing will change.
Does Getting a Teaching Degree Mean Going Back to Full-Time Education?
Making the transition back to full-time education is a big change. Fortunately, you won’t need to return to school full-time to begin a new career in early childhood education. An associate’s degree in early childhood education at a career academy is a two-year program designed to be flexible and can be done part-time. Even without a full-time class schedule, you will get a comprehensive program that prepares you for different roles in early childhood education, learning how to use developmentally appropriate methods and curriculum that aligns with NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) standards. After a two-year program, you will be prepared to work as a teacher, play specialist, early childhood administrator, and even own and operate a childcare center.
Career Academies are Designed for Working Adults
Going to college after high school is an easy transition since you’re still in student mode. However, returning to school after time in the workforce can be more of a challenge. Career academies are designed for working adults and are perfect for those making a career shift. When you look for an early childhood education program, look for one with:
- Flexible Class Times
If you’re working a 9-5, you need evening and weekend class options. If you’re working a different schedule of nights and weekends, you need daytime options. Most career academies have flexible class times.
- Financial Aid Programs
Adding tuition to a tight budget stops many adults from changing their careers. Investing in yourself can be challenging. Look for a program to work with you and your current financial situation.
- Supportive Programs
If you want to avoid burnout while you’re in your transition period of working and attending school, you need support. Look for a school that makes sure their students are taken care of.
- Career Focused Training
Theoretical knowledge is great, but if you want to start your new career successfully, you need career-focused training that focuses on what you face in the classroom daily.
- Job Placement Assistance
The advantage of a second career is that you have real-world experience. Even if it’s in a different field, it still helps to have a resume with a work history. However, you need job placement assistance when you’re looking for a new career. Career academies can help you make the connections you need.
Is Adding a Teaching Degree to Your Life Worth the Investment?
There’s no denying it – even if you don’t quit your job to return to school, earning a teaching degree is an investment in time, money, and effort. Before you make the decision, you need to decide if it’s worth it. Is juggling your day job and a teaching degree worth it?
If you are a nurturing, creative, and patient person who wants a career that makes a difference, adding a teaching degree to your life will be well worth the investment. After a comprehensive program in early childhood education, you will be well-prepared to make a real difference in the lives of young students, setting them up for a lifetime of success. Instead of just struggling through forty hours a week at a job you don’t love, you will know that your work means something.
You don’t need to give up your paycheck while focusing on getting yourself out of a job rut and into a new career you’ll love. With the right early childhood education program, you can continue to work and get your regular paycheck while attending a supportive program designed for busy adults focused on their next step. If you are ready to get unstuck, look for an early childhood education program designed for the flexibility you need.
Ready for a change? Keep your job and earn your teaching degree with a flexible program at Athena Career Academy for working adults. Contact us today to learn more.