The Great Transition: Finding Your Teaching Path After Federal Job Loss

Recent federal government layoffs have created financial and career uncertainty for adjunct professors who rely on federal jobs to supplement their teaching income. Several states are implementing programs to help these workers transition into teaching careers while addressing critical shortages in education.

• Maryland has created alternative pathways and streamlined certification programs for federal workers transitioning to education
• New York anticipates needing 180,000 teachers in the next decade and offers certification, preparation, and mentorship
• Indiana's Ball State University provides flexible online coursework for professionals seeking teaching licenses
• Florida actively matches former federal employees with educational institutions facing staffing shortages
• Don't give up hope – focus on creating an action plan to move forward
• Consider various educational roles from K-12 to post-secondary teaching or EdTech development
• Leverage your federal experience in leadership, communication, and teaching
• Contact your state education department about certification programs
• Reach out to your alma mater for career transition support
• Explore entrepreneurial opportunities like creating courses at community colleges

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Until next time, keep grading, keep growing, and keep making a difference in your students' lives.

Dr. Rutledge

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Grading Papers, the podcast dedicated to
supporting and empoweringadjunct professors.
I'm your host, dr Randi AnitaRutledge, a 14-year adjunct
professor, and I am thrilled tobe on this journey with you.
On today's episode, we'rediving into a pressing topic the
recent layoffs in the federalgovernment and their impact

(00:23):
their direct impact on part-timeadjunct professors.
Many adjuncts rely on theirfederal jobs to supplement
income and are now facingincreased financial and career
uncertainty.
First, I want to acknowledgethe emotional strain this
situation brings.
Job loss can be incrediblychallenging, especially when

(00:47):
compounded by the uncertaintiesinherent in adjunct teaching
roles.
Thankfully, several states arestepping up to support these
federal workers, the ones whohave been recently laid off.
They're creating pathways sothey can transition into
teaching careers, helping themto address significant teaching

(01:09):
shortages across the nation.
Here are a few of the notableexamples.
First, I want to call outMaryland.
They have implementedalternative pathways and
streamlined certificationprograms specifically designed
for career changers, and theseinclude federal workers, easing

(01:31):
the transition into educationalrules, and I want to applaud
them for that, because this iswhat you call governorship by
situation.
Governorship by situation.
Their governor is creating away to assist the residents of

(02:09):
Maryland understanding what'sgoing on, understanding the
impact to about 10,000 people intheir state and moving swiftly
to create alternatives for themand give them resources to
support them.
I'd like to also call out NewYork.
New York anticipates a need for180,000 teachers over the next
decade and has developedinitiatives like TNYC, and these
initiatives help to providecertification, preparation,
mentorship and workshops to helptransition professionals into

(02:31):
teaching.
Another state is Indiana.
They're offering Ball StateUniversity's Transition to
Teaching program, and thisprogram is providing flexible
online coursework tailored forprofessionals looking to become
licensed secondary educators.
And when you think about it,there could be another tsunami

(02:55):
of layoffs when it comes to theDepartment of Education.
But the education does have anagenda, and that agenda could
include pushing most of theteaching to the state level.
So this is going to be goodthat states are coming in and
providing workers with thesetransitioning pathways.

(03:17):
Florida actively supportscareer transitions through their
workforce programs.
They're matching professionals,and these professionals include
former federal employees, witheducational institutions facing
staffing shortages.
So what can you do right now?

(03:37):
Here are some practical tips tonavigate this transition.
First of all, don't give up hope.
Oftentimes I know you probablyhear the cliche.
You know things happen for areason, this has a purpose or
whatever.
But I would challenge you tolook at this from another
perspective.
Of course, something has beentaken from you and you feel it

(04:01):
on so many emotional levels, andjust the anxiety and the what I
call psychological warfare thatis happening to the federal
employees at this time.
There is nothing that couldprepare you for this and there
is nothing that can take awaythe grief that you're going to

(04:21):
feel, except for if you caninstitute different types of
tactics to help you along theway.
And when I say that is, don'tsit down and become sedentary
and just get in a thought loopabout what's happening to you.
If you have mental healthissues and you can't help

(04:44):
yourself from that, then I askyou to seek assistance, to get
the help that you need, so thatyou can come out of the thought
loop and that you can exit theemotional turmoil that you're
feeling and that you can seelight and create a pathway of
action so that you can feelyourself moving towards the

(05:05):
remedy.
You have a strong network andyou also have skills that are
transferable.
Seek out ways to transition andtransfer those skills into
areas of education, whether thatbe creating ed tech tools,
whether that be teaching ingrammar school or post-secondary

(05:28):
school or high school, findyour place.
Think about the curiosity thatyou have.
Think about things.
Maybe you always wanted to be ateacher, even if it's a
kindergarten teacher or headstart teacher.
Think about how you couldtransition into a place of
service, but in a differentspace right now, and then take

(05:51):
those thoughts and create a planand goals and let those goals
and that plan feel yourmotivation and your momentum and
you'll feel that you are stillvaluable and you have worth and
you still have something to give, some service to give right.

(06:12):
So explore state resources.
I know that I mentioned fourstates, but explore your state
and resources.
If you have to go to theunemployment area, ask them
about the resources, think abouttheir network and pose certain
questions that you have and seewho can assist you.

(06:33):
Visit your state educationdepartment website and learn
about the valuable certificationprograms so you can transition
and see what transition supportthey have For your school, your
alma mater.
Contact them, contact thecareer services area and their

(06:53):
advising area and see where youcan fit in or if they have
initiatives that you could comein, even if it means
volunteering to get your frameof mind to shift and focus, and
from there you may find a placethat you can land there.
Highlight your skills.

(07:13):
Leverage your federalexperience in leadership, in
communication, even teaching.
If you've done webinars, ifyou've created content, if
you've created blueprints andworkbooks and teaching aids, and
if you've done conventions andresearch, find a way to leverage

(07:37):
your experience.
Your experience is valuable andyour skills are highly sought
after in this educational space.
Connect with networks.
Reach out to your state and seewhat educational organizations
and support groups there are.

(07:58):
Talk to the Chamber of Commerceand even the Small Business
Administration and see if thereare small businesses that work
in education that need skills inleadership and communication
that you have.
And look at online forums forresources and mentorship and

(08:19):
community support.
And that reminds me, seek outyour community college, because
these resources that you have,in this knowledge, you may be
able to create a course in thenon-credit area that you can get
revenue from.
Start out with things that youknow how to do and think about

(08:40):
ways that you can move into aspace, even if that means a
little entrepreneurship.
Remember, while change can bedaunting and it can be, for
certain, emotionally drainingand you might find yourself
trying to withdraw and not wantto go out and talk to people,
maybe not want to get out of thebed or get dressed or brush

(09:03):
your teeth because you've beenhit with a gut punch, and I
understand it.
But remember your life isvaluable.
Who you are is valuable andyou're more than your job and
you're more than even yourskills.
You are a human that was puthere with a certain purpose and

(09:26):
you have skills and abilitiesand talents and as long as you
live, we in humanity need you.
We need what you have to give.
We need your contribution.
Don't you ever forget that andremember that what you have to

(09:47):
give, it can open up doors tonew and rewarding opportunities
in teaching and in other spaces.
I thank you for joining ustoday on this episode of Reading
Papers.
If you found value in ourdiscussion, please subscribe and
share and leave a review.

(10:09):
Your feedback helps us continuesupporting adjunct educators
and even those transitioninginto this educating space.
Until next time, keep grading,keep growing and keep inspiring
your students.