Teachers to Trainers

Chapter 7

Academia: Higher Education’s Risks and Rewards

Charles Steven Bingham

Higher education was not my first, second, or even third career. Having retired from a highly compensated job with the state of North Carolina at age 59, after more than three decades’ contribution to its retirement system, I had financial freedom. Thus, my risk was nothing compared to a mid- or early-career professional aspiring to a job that may pay less, at least initially, than a K–12 teaching job. If, however, you are a mid- or early-career professional considering university teaching, there are a few things you need to know. This chapter is about my own journey leaving my job as a public-school teacher to become first a consultant and presenter and now a university ...