Illinois Teaching Jobs on the Up
Posted on July 24, 2008
Those interested in the education industry will find many opportunities when it comes to Illinois teaching jobs.
According to a report by the Illinois Department of Employment Security, employment in education and training in Illinois is expected to grow faster than the statewide average for all occupations through 2014.
The United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics notes the state’s education and health services industry employed 791,300 people in June 2008, an increase of 1.5 percent over the previous year.
“A growing emphasis on improving education and making it available to more children and young adults will be the primary factors contributing to employment growth,” the report states. “Despite expected increases in education expenditures over the next decade, budget constraints at all levels of government may place restrictions on educational services, however, the long-term employment outlook is very favorable for all occupations in education.”
It is expected that as children of the “baby boom” generation continue to reach college age, and as more adults continue education to enhance their skills, postsecondary student enrollments should increase, creating faster-than-average employment growth for faculty. Opportunities for support occupations such as counselors, librarians, and teacher aides will also be plentiful.
Possible careers within the education industry include:
The Illinois State Board of Education administers public education in the state. While local municipalities and school districts operate public schools, the ISBE audits the performance of public schools with the Illinois School Report Card.
The University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Illinois Institute of Technology rank among the top 100 national universities, according to U.S. News & World Report. Other national universities include: DePaul University, Illinois State University, Loyola University Chicago, Northern Illinois University and Southern Illinois University Carbondale. The state also is home to the Illinois Community College System.
In 2004, according to city-data.com, 81.4 percent of Illinois’ adult population had graduated high school and 26.1 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher. The state’s education is financed through a combination of state, local and federal funds. In the 1999 and 2000 school year, the estimated mean expenditure per student was $5,856. The average United States expenditure was $6,356. Expenditures for public education during the 2000 and 2001 year were about $7,668,000.
