Secondary School Teachers
Formal Description
“Secondary school teachers prepare and teach academic, technical, vocational or specialized subjects at public and private secondary schools. Secondary school teachers who are heads of departments are included in this unit group.” (NOC 2021)
Sample Job Titles
This category includes a variety of job titles that may not necessarily be reflected by the category title. For a full index of job titles, see the category entry on the ESDC site. Example job titles include:
Economics Teacher
Librarian Teacher
Social Sciences Teacher
Special Education Teacher
Typical Employment and Education Requirements
The requirements listed for each occupational category will tend to vary across particular roles, job titles, and contexts.
The following typical requirements are listed on the ESDC’s 2021 entry for this occupational category:
- “Teachers of academic subjects require a bachelor’s degree in education which is often preceded by a bachelor’s degree in the arts or sciences.”
- “Teachers of vocational or technical subjects require a bachelor’s degree in education which is usually preceded by specialized training or experience in the subject.”
- “Instructors of trades in Quebec require completion of an apprenticeship training program and industry or trade certification.”
- “Department heads usually require several years of teaching experience.”
- “To specialize in special education or English or French as a second language, additional training is required.”
- “A provincial teaching certificate is required.”
- “Membership in a provincial or territorial teachers’ association or federation may be required.”
Success with a Social Sciences Undergraduate Degree and Beyond
When reviewing typical requirements, please remember:
- Degree and diploma listings often end with a purposefully open-ended phrase (“or a related field”, “or a similar discipline”) that acknowledges the variety and applicability of social sciences and liberal arts degrees.
- Employers often focus less on the name or title of a candidate’s degree, and more on how they articulate their transferable skills and experiences.
- Many qualifications and certifications are available as post-graduate certificates aimed at recent university graduates; these can make an excellent further education option for a social sciences or liberal arts degree.
Related Sectors
Whereas Economic and Social Development Canada’s ‘occupational’ categories tend to focus more on the duties and functions that people play in specific roles, exploring careers by ‘sectors’ helps us to sort by employer type, industry, or general field of work. Here are just a few of the sectors that may be relevant to this category:
Academic Program Connections
As you select your program of study and the courses you will take, you can chart a path towards success in this sector from any one of our social sciences departments and programs. Here are just a few examples of academic disciplines that have connections with this sector:
Anthropology Learn More
Integrating Anthropology with other social science courses such as Sociology and Psychology opens the possibility for a Social Sciences teachable at a few Faculty of Education programs. Please refer to each individual Education program for specifics.
Environment & Society Learn More
Adding Canadian Geography courses to an Environment & Society degree equips students with the knowledge required to teach Geography. Please refer to each individual Education program for specifics.
Political Science Learn More
Politics/Political Science is a teachable at some Faculty of Education programs. Please refer to each individual Education program for specifics.
Sociology Learn More
Integrating Sociology with other social science courses such as Anthropology and Psychology opens the possibility for a Social Sciences teachable at a few Faculty of Education programs. Please refer to each individual Education program for specifics.
