Teaching in vocational education as a second career

Background: This study investigates the determinants of career change for individuals who change their job to become a teacher in vocational education and training (VET) as a second career. The question of what motivates individuals to forfeit their original occupation to become a teacher is important for policy making not only in times of teacher shortages but also in light of the quality of individuals that can be motivated to change their career mid-life to become a teacher. Methods: First, the empirical analysis uses pairs with the same observable characteristics of teachers and non-teachers in Switzerland to compare the relative wage position in their former occupation of those who have chosen to change career into teaching. We indicate the quality of these career changers primarily by their pay in the former occupation. Second, we investigate the wage prospects of career changers by exploring the counterfactual situation to the decision to become a teacher (teacher's expectations for a career in the former occupation or as a teacher) and therefore we apply multivariate regression techniques to account for observable differences between individuals. Results: The results show that individuals who change their careers to teaching in VET earned, on average, more in their first career than comparable workers in the same occupation. The findings also demonstrate that the average career changer still expects to earn significantly more as a teacher than in their former career. However, the study shows that one-third of the career changers expect a wage loss. Conclusion: Although the average teacher tends to rank among the better earners in his or her original occupation, the majority of career changers expect to earn more as a teacher than in their original occupation. This finding shows that the average wage level at vocational schools can compete with average wage levels in the rest of the economy. However, substantial heterogeneity exists given that about one-third of career changers are prepared to accept a cut in wage after changing to teaching. One probable explanation is the very high relevance of non-monetary factors that make teaching a more attractive option, at least for some individuals. © 2014 Hof and Strupler Leiser.