Education
If you love teaching, helping others, and continually learning, the education field is for you. The education pathway includes careers at public and private schools at various levels: pre-K through high school and colleges and universities. There are also education positions at libraries, museums, nonprofits, and other locations.
With training from a local community college, you can begin working as a preschool teacher or even open your own home daycare center.
Education is ideal for young professionals seeking to make a difference in others’ lives.
Explore Island Jobs
in this Industry
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Career Profile: Educator
Overview:
Educators teach others programs that are established and created at an organization. This career combines curriculum development, creativity, and public speaking.On Martha’s Vineyard, educators are especially sought after at museums and nonprofits, offering a mix of seasonal and year-round opportunities.
Typical Tasks
Develop and implement engaging lesson plans that meet curriculum standards and foster critical thinking
Maintain a safe, positive, and inclusive environment, managing student behavior effectively
Collaborate with colleagues and other organizations
🎓 Training & Credentials (Massachusetts)
A certificate or degree in education may be beneficial
💵 Earning Potential (Massachusetts)
Entry-Level: $30,000–$45,000 per year
🌟 Skills & Traits
Excellent communication skills
Ability to work with diverse groups of students and visitors
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Career Profile: Librarian
Overview:
Librarians manage information, curate physical and digital collections, and provide research assistance to patrons in public, school, academic, or special librariesOn Martha’s Vineyard, librarians play a key role in developing programs in collaboration with local schools and organizations.
Typical Tasks
Selecting, purchasing, organizing, and cataloging books, digital resources, and multimedia materials
Ensuring excellent customer service and visitor satisfaction
Guiding patrons in finding information, conducting research, and using databases
Planning, promoting, and facilitating events and workshops
🎓 Training & Credentials (Massachusetts)
A Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS) from an ALA-accredited program is typically required
💵 Earning Potential (Massachusetts)
Average: $71,000 per year
🌟 Skills & Traits
Strong customer service, communication, and organizational skills
Good time-management skills
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Career Profile: Preschool Teacher
Overview:
Preschool teachers take care of children under the age of five. Their main duties include teaching children fundamentals, like numbers, colors, and shapes, helping children build their social skills and maintaining a clean, safe classroom environment.🎓 Training & Credentials (Massachusetts)
You will need a teacher certification from the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC). You can qualify by taking college level credits in Child Development or earning a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential from the Council for Professional Recognition.
Further courses and certifications or higher level degrees (Associate’s, Bachelor’s, Graduate, etc) may help with career advancement.
💵 Earning Potential (Massachusetts)
Entry-Level: $37,000–$48,000 per year
🌟 Skills & Traits
Ability to develop educational activities for young children
Ability to instruct young children
Ability to select the appropriate teaching method and adapt to children’s learning styles
Effectively communication skills with children and parents
Patience and compassion suitable for working with young children
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Career Profile: School Teacher
Overview:
Teachers are employed by public or private schools. Depending on the grade level, teachers may focus on one subject or teach many content areas. They may have extra duties, coach sports, or lead extracurricular activities outside of school hours.Typical Tasks
Preparing lesson plans in the assigned content area to teach required learning objectives
Assigning and grading projects, assignments and tests
Creating and enforcing classroom rules, policies and procedures
Communicating with students and parents about student progress
🎓 Training & Credentials (Massachusetts)
Typically a Bachelor’s degree in Education is required, and a Master’s degree can help with career advancement
Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL), and completing a supervised practicum which often takes two to three years depending on the program
💵 Earning Potential (Massachusetts)
Entry-Level: $45,000
Average: $92,000
🌟 Skills & Traits
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
Strong organizational and time management skills
Knowledge of behavior management strategies to keep students engaged and learning
Confidence using technology to enhance student learning
Salary Information: Salary ranges are approximate and intended for career planning. Figures are based primarily on Massachusetts wage data and regional/local job postings where available. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, education, role, and location. Martha’s Vineyard wages may differ from statewide averages.
Training Programs
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Training Summary:
Take college classes through Cape Cod Community College
Join ACE MV’s cohort of other students on island taking virtual college classes.
Benefits of joining the cohort:
A supportive environment
A dedicated ACE MV Program Facilitator to guide you along the way.
Attend professional development workshops together
Local Training Option:
ACE MV – Early Childhood Education Cohort
🔗 https://acemv.org/ece/
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Training Summary:
Our 16-credit Certificate is a good starting point or an academic endpoint to take core early childhood courses required to become EEC Lead Teacher qualified to work with preschoolers. If you have a degree in another subject or want to begin courses for certification and consider a degree later, take this first step. The program includes one practicum to provide some supervised experience required for EEC certification. If you work in an early education and care program, your current workplace may qualify as your practicum site.
Local Training Option:
MassBay College – Early Childhood Education Certificate
🔗 MassBay
Outlook:
Upon completion of the Certificate, you will find open Lead Teacher positions in EEC-licensed programs across the state. You can choose to continue in the AS Degree in Early Childhood Education while working.
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Training Summary:
The Education concentration prepares students for transfer to complete their bachelor's degree and become licensed to teach at the elementary school level.
Students must graduate with a minimum 2.75 GPA and attain a passing score on the Communication and Literacy skills (CLST) portion of the Massachusetts Tests for Education Licensure (MTEL) to be accepted directly into an education program. If students do not meet the criteria above, they may be admitted to the required academic (second) major on initial acceptance to the bachelor's institution. Elementary Education students must pass two additional MTEL tests: General Curriculum and Foundations of Reading before beginning their education coursework at the bachelor's level.
Local Training Option:
Outlook:
Students who complete a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education receive initial licensure to teach and are ready to enter the teaching profession. Students are eligible to teach in public and private schools in grades 1–6. Students must obtain a master's degree to receive professional licensure.
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Training Summary:
The Education concentration prepares students for transfer to complete their bachelor's degree and become licensed to teach at the middle and high school level. Candidates for middle or high school licensure are required to minor in middle or high school education and major in the subject area they plan to teach.
Students must graduate with a minimum 2.75 GPA and attain a passing score on the Communication and Literacy Skills (CLST) portion of the Massachusetts Tests for Educators Licensure (MTEL) before their planned entrance to the bachelor institution to be accepted directly into an education program.
Local Training Option:
Outlook:
Students completing a bachelor's degree in middle or high school education will be required to take the MTEL test in the subject area they plan to teach. After passing this test, they will receive initial licensure and be ready to enter the teaching profession. Students must obtain a master's degree or complete an approved professional development program within five years to maintain professional licensure. Students will be eligible to teach in public and private schools in grades 5–8 or 8–12 depending on which licensure track they pursue.
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Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute’s professional learning workshops for educators are a window into the rapidly-changing world of ocean research and engineering. Professional development workshops for high school and middle school teachers are held twice a year on the WHOI campus.
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Education offers a wide range of opportunities for professionals who want to deepen their expertise and take on greater responsibility. With additional education and licensure, a starting role can lead to teaching, specialized instruction, curriculum development, educational leadership, administration, or other professional roles within schools and learning organizations. Experienced educators can also move into program development, consulting, training, or leadership beyond the classroom.