So I mentioned previously that I'd had a genuine epiphany. It occurred during a deep dark exploration of the soul, some time between going to bed and falling to sleep a couple of hours later. See I was having trouble falling asleep and I started thinking about the jobs I've held over the past twenty plus years. Yeah, twenty plus. My very first real job was as a dishwasher in a bakery when I was 14. Even before that I had paper routes.
In twenty plus years of working I've had jobs I've liked and jobs I haven't liked. Most of them were in the first category as I'm fairly easy to please but also had no compunction about leaving a place if I didn't like it. Those two qualities together kept the bad jobs to a minimum. Now on the jobs that I liked I found a certain constant that encompassed my absolute favorite times on those jobs. The duty or responsibility or task that made me the happiest was the same whether I was working as a cart pusher, meat cutter, arcade attendant, cashier, surgical tech, what have you. I always got the most satisfaction and enjoyment out of a job when I was teaching somebody else.
I love teaching. That's my epiphany. Okay, so it's not a world-shaking event. I don't know if I can even use that. See, I'm not qualified to be hired as a teacher. Even in the things that I know at an elemental level I don't have a piece of paper that says "This guy can teach that". Not only that but the salary for teachers is somewhat low compared to what I need to support my family.
So I probably will not be pursuing a teaching position now as there's no realistic chance of realizing the goal. I will, however, be keeping my eyes out for opportunities to get those pieces of paper and to incorporate teaching in the jobs that I get.
Some day I may be able to do what I really want. For now I'll busy myself getting ready.
Corporate trainer and certification trainer both spring to mind... not sure what they pay, though.
Both excellent suggestions and ones that will be in my "Work towards this" list. Unfortunately I don't have the paper at the moment.
Although I'm fairly close to being a certified teacher for Microsoft MCSE courses...
For what it's worth, my housemate has just completed his PGCE after a major career change. It was apparently the hardest things he's ever had to do but he feels it was worth it.
Oh and Trey, not sure how it pays in the US but over here you can spot the Corporate IT trainers by their flash cars and very big houses! That's mostly indepentdants though, I think being employed by a company would mean slightly less of the ole doh ray me.