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Career Exploration

Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary

Also called: Graduate Assistant, Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), Research Assistant (RA), Teaching Assistant (TA)

What they do:

Assist faculty or other instructional staff in postsecondary institutions by performing instructional support activities, such as developing teaching materials, leading discussion groups, preparing and giving examinations, and grading examinations or papers.

On the job, you would:
  • Teach undergraduate-level courses.
  • Evaluate and grade examinations, assignments, or papers, and record grades.
  • Lead discussion sections, tutorials, or laboratory sections.
On the job, you'll need:

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Education and Training

  • teaching and course design

Engineering and Technology

  • computers and electronics

Math and Science

  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Basic Skills

  • reading work related information
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Verbal

  • communicate by speaking
  • listen and understand what people say

Ideas and Logic

  • come up with lots of ideas
  • create new and original ideas

Social

People interested in this work like activities that include helping people, teaching, and talking.

  • Integrity
  • Dependability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Concern for Others
  • Self Control
  • Leadership

Word processing software

  • Google Docs
  • Microsoft Word

Computer based training software

  • Learning management system LMS
  • Sakai CLE

Electronic mail software

  • Email software
  • Microsoft Outlook

Video courtesy of CareerOneStop.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for this position is Average.

New job opportunities are likely in the future.

Median Annual Salary: $38,050

Education

Bachelor's degree or master's degree is usually needed.