From childcare to sports coaching, education is brimming with opportunities — here's how to gear up for this fast-growing industry

Gone are the days of traditional classroom teaching entirely with books and pens. Today, hybrid learning, collaborations over Zoom or Google Meet, and electronic devices are commonplace. 

Accelerated by the onset of the pandemic, the multibillion-dollar education industry is expected to grow only more rapidly. As the landscape continues surging ahead, it is time for current and aspiring educators to brace themselves for the future. 

Are you ready to level up and clinch the next big opportunities in education?

1. Rapid growth in early childhood sector — both globally and in Singapore

If you're passionate about working with young children — whether it is in preschool, childcare centres or kindergarten — here's some good news for you: early childhood is slated to be one of the fast-growing sectors in education.

Globally, the childcare market is poised to grow by a whopping US$153.6 billion (S$209.4 billion) from 2021 to 2025. In Singapore, demand for the industry is likely to rise, with local preschool openings expected to reach 200,000 by 2023 from 180,000 two years ago. 

For those looking to kickstart your journey in early childhood care and education, Kaplan offers degree programmes that will give you a leg up in this sector. 

A Group of Eight University in Australia, Monash University offers the Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood (Top-up) programme, which could be your launchpad into education. Existing diploma holders in children's services, early childhood care and education or its equivalent, can deepen their knowledge in areas such as children's creative and intellectual development, and social capabilities. 

If you are interested in working with children, young people and families within social care, education or health settings, Northumbria University's Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Childhood and Early Years Studies (Top-up) might be the programme for you.

Drawing upon multiple disciplines from sociology to psychology, the programme provides you with a unique opportunity to develop insights into and an understanding of two complementary subject areas whilst exploring a range of career pathways. Moreover, it can be completed within 18 months (subject to meeting requirements and approval by the university).

Graduates from these programmes land themselves opportunities beyond being a childcare educator. They become leaders in education, public debate and even policy development — the world is your oyster.

2. A field of opportunities for education in sports

Since the launch of Vision 2030 in 2012, plans have been underway to create a strong sporting culture and boost Singapore's standing as a sporting hub. 

In fact, the nation has continued to prove its worth throughout the years. With 212 events hosted by Singapore Sports Hub in 2019, 23 national athletes competing in a record 12 sports at the Tokyo Olympic Games held in 2021, and numerous sporting accolades clinched, this is just the beginning of the boom in sports.

With such good headway in sports, there's no better time for aspiring sports educators and professionals to come to the forefront and take up a degree programme with University of Essex, a top 30 university in the UK. 

Sports professionals who aspire to coach at various levels across different age groups can check out the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Sports Performance and Coaching (Top-up). From applied sports psychology to sports injuries and exercise rehabilitation, the programme dives deep into the science behind sports and the key to elevating performance. 

Another programme offered is the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Sports and Exercise Science (Top-up). This programme will enable you to examine sports and exercise science through a scientific lens, learning about its biomechanics, physiology, psychology and more. 

These programmes will pave the way for you to become qualified exercise physiologists with career opportunities at hospitals, community centres, clinics and other facilities. Think coaching and sports development, fitness trainers or sports nutritionists — yes, you'll be equipped with the skills to pursue any of these careers.

These programmes are offered in collaboration with SportSG through the Sporting Excellence Education (spexEducation) scheme to provide student-athletes with holistic education development and flexibility, integrating their pursuit of high-performance sports with academic aspirations. 

3. Upskilling to keep up with the times

"Lifelong learning" is a term familiar to many in Singapore. After all, Singapore's push for continual learning and skills upgrading has been decades in the making.

Amid economic contractions and job losses brought about by the pandemic, the employment market has admittedly been disrupted. Job displacement has further accelerated with technology and digitalisation — a study found that up to 20 million manufacturing jobs will be lost globally to robots by 2030. 

Upskilling is no longer a choice in this uncertain climate. For those in the workforce, it is imperative to broaden your arsenal of skills to stay relevant and employable. 

With Kaplan's range of master's degree programmes, existing educators who want to level up their skills or degree holders considering a career switch don't have to look far. 

The programmes offered by Monash University are suited for both educators and those in the industry — be it educational administrators, managers or even policy makers. Those who attend the broader Master of Education programme will emerge a more engaging educator with a sharper mind. 

On the other hand, the Master of Education in Early Childhood Education and Master of Education in Inclusive and Special Education provide more specialised routes for individuals who know their calling. The former caters to those who teach children aged eight and below, while the latter is perfect for advocates of inclusivity in education. 

Education has proven to be an ever-evolving space buzzing with opportunities. 

Whether you're trying to gain your footing in education or looking to accelerate your career, the various programmes offered by Kaplan in Singapore only have one common goal: to ensure that you're set for a career in the industry.

Find out more about Kaplan's programme offerings in education and take your learning to the next level.

This article is brought to you in partnership with Kaplan in Singapore.

editor@asiaone.com