Non-classroom jobs for people who enjoy working with children

DEAR READERS: There has been a lot of press lately about teachers leaving the profession. For example, almost 40% of respondents in a recent survey from the Colorado Education Association said they’re considering leaving the profession, with an unrealistic workload, potentially unsafe working conditions during the pandemic and low pay listed as the top reasons.

I know several young people who love working with kids, but don’t want the “negatives” that come with teaching. There are many routes to take outside of the classroom — it just takes a little outside-of-the-box thinking to discover the options. So, what are some alternate career options they can explore?

Here are a few categories to consider.

Kathleen Furore is a Chicago-based writer and editor who has covered personal finance and other business-related topics for a variety of trade and consumer publications. You can email her your career questions at kfurore@yahoo.com.