The Path to Becoming a STEM Teacher.

Those who've seen my recent Facebook posts know I finally decided to become a triathlon coach, with the intent to focus on beginners and data-driven coaching.  Literally days after making that decision I received a newsletter from Code.org mentioning that EnCorps was recruiting STEM teachers from the sci/tech community.

I immediately thought: "Woah. Teachers get summers off.  I could coach more during race season!"

Then I thought about the state of my career, and that it may be time for a major change.  Over the past few years I've been encountering significant ageism now that I've become an "older" engineer seeking permanent or contract work. It's certainly not as easy for me to find new business as it used to be!  I call it ageism because I know for a fact my skills are relevant in the market: Some recent job descriptions look as though they were pulled from my resume!  Yet I'm not getting many interviews, not even phone interviews.

EnCorps gave me a phone interview last Monday, a few day after I completed the online application, and they've scheduled an in-face interview for next Wednesday.  The feedback I've received from the EnCorps SoCal recruiter has been totally enthusiastic, despite the fact that only about 18% of EnCorps applicants make it to the classroom.

Still, it is nice to be wanted. I had almost forgotten what it felt like.

I started down this path primarily out of curiosity. I'm getting more excited with each passing day, but also more aware of the huge amount of work ahead and the great responsibilities to come.

But why leave engineering?  It is what I've loved doing for over 30 years, and it forms a core part of my identity.  It is also been the most fun I could ever imagine getting paid for!  Being an engineer has been the perfect fit for me.

I've had to look very closely at my motivations and the downsides.  It could be that I'll be a terrible teacher, though I honestly believe I'll do fine. I've had several teaching experiences during my career, and they all turned out well.  I greatly enjoyed them, and my students did too.

Truth be told, I have hobby projects that will keep me neck-deep in hands-on engineering for years to come. Many of these projects were started so I could learn and apply new technologies, both for fun and for professional development.

I've also been advising crowdfunding projects, participating in several science and tech forums, and answering questions on some of the StackExchange sites.  Which, when you think about it and squint just right, could look a bit more like teaching than engineering.  I wonder if I've been on this path for a while, and simply failed to see it for what it was?  Perhaps, but I suspect it's simply how I like to fill my time. Still, it is relevant.

I'm moving forward with a career switch to STEM teaching.  Wish me luck!