A tech PR veteran trades the boardroom for the classroom at 55, learning from Gen Z
After more than 30 years in tech public relations, a 55-year-old professional recently became a first-time high school teacher. The career shift has offered a fresh perspective on invisibility and self-confidence, with the author noting that Gen Z students display a quiet, radical self-trust. The transition has been both humbling and instructive, as the author learns to embrace being a beginner.
The author spent over three decades in tech PR, building and rebuilding an agency before pivoting to teaching. They had already earned a Colorado CTE certification, anticipating a future classroom role, but the opportunity arrived sooner than expected when a friend’s conversation led to an interview and a quick offer. The new position is at DSST: College View High School, part of a Denver-area STEM network serving more than 7,500 students across 16 schools. The school’s mission emphasizes college and career readiness, with every senior graduating with a defined postsecondary plan.
The transition highlights a broader trend of mid-career professionals moving into education, often drawn by a desire for purpose over pace. The author’s experience of feeling both invisible and a beginner mirrors what many career-changers face, yet they find value in that discomfort, observing veteran teachers’ craft and collaboration. The school’s emphasis on financial literacy and entrepreneurship suggests a practical, skills-based approach that aligns with the author’s business background.
This career shift could resonate with older professionals facing age-related invisibility in fast-moving industries, offering a model for reinvention that values experience without relying on it. It may also benefit students, who gain access to real-world business perspectives and a teacher who models lifelong learning. The story could encourage other mid-career workers to consider teaching, potentially easing teacher shortages, while also prompting schools to rethink how they integrate non-traditional hires.