![](/public/content/article_381_image.png)
It's great being an educator, isn't it? Sure, the hours may be long, teenagers can be...teenagers, and you're not getting the NFL quarterback salary we all know you deserve—but ultimately you've got one of the most rewarding careers out there. We definitely appreciate your work—getting the next generation up and at 'em is awesome! So why is it that with the field being helpful, fulfilling, and literally essential to the continued success of any community that kids just aren't interested in jobs in education?
According to the folks at the ACT, the number of students wanting to work in schools is falling dramatically (we're talking Niagara levels of droppage here). So what can you do to make sure that your spot is someday going to be filled with the same kind of knowledgable, compassionate individual after you get that retirement cake stored away in the fridge? Our vote is that you scout your TXGU kids for the beginnings of educator-greatness and make sure they really know how incredible your job is—for you and every student that gets to learn from you. And if they balk a little at following their instinct to help others academically, we found some solid info that'll cosign what you're saying about the importance of following that particular dream, even if it doesn't lead to that solid-gold jacuzzi right away. Feel free to spread it around. Inner light can travel just as far as the non-metaphorical version—we're just helping to take the blinders off.