Does an Online Teacher Have Job Security and Benefits?
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Question:
What kind of job security do online teachers have? I’m attracted to the flexibility of the position, but I need to qualify for benefits and be able to count on steady employment. Is this the right profession for me?
Answer:
This is a tough question to answer! Online courses are certainly growing by leaps and bounds, ensuring that online teaching positions will be plentiful in the years to come; research shows that by 2014, the majority of college students will be taking at least some courses online. So there is some security in knowing these jobs are growing.
However, the majority of online colleges, which are usually targeted toward working adults, do not hire full-time faculty. This is because they prefer to hire professionals in their respective fields who can provide real-life insights in the classroom. Industry-relevant, real-world information and case studies make up the bulk of modern online college instruction. So most instructors, like myself, work full-time jobs and teach on the side.
There are rarely any instructors at such colleges who work full-time (except for the few who are also college administrators). They may receive small benefits packages, such as a retirement contribution or profit-sharing, but no health insurance.
A report in Inside Higher Ed also indicates that full-time postsecondary teaching jobs are declining while part-time and graduate assistant jobs are growing, precisely so that colleges can save money by not paying benefits or full-time salaries.
That’s not to say that these jobs won’t exist, but it may be more difficult to find them–particularly among the new wave of online colleges.
Hope that helps!
Tags: online colleges, online teachers
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