Could Teachers Work On-Demand In The Future?

contributed by Workfast On-Demand

For years many teachers have been employed on a temporary basis.

In more recent years there has been a shift across all industries to move towards an economy that is known as the On Demand economy. The new economy can provide a new way for teachers to find work. This economy was created by technology companies. The On Demand economy fulfills a demand by providing a good or service to a consumer. Some more recognizable On Demand companies are Under and Airbnb.

Having infiltrated cities across the world, these companies provide consumers with the ability to fill a need or want more efficiently and more effectively. Increasingly there are companies and industries that are representatives of the On Demand economy on a consumer level. However, more recently the On Demand economy is infiltrating the business-to-business model.

For businesses the On Demand model allows an organisation to scale their business appropriately to the fluctuations of demand. For workers, the On Demand platform provides work flexibility, increased pay and having that balance between work and life.

There are many types of On Demand workers. Some of them are business entrepreneurs who are primarily driven by the desire to be their own boss. There are Career Freelancers who are happy to build their career through independent work. ‘The Passionista’ is an On Demand worker who is motivated by job flexibility and doing things that they enjoy. One prominent On Demand workers is the Substitute worker.

The ‘Substituter’ is most likely in an industry where the traditional definition of a job is no longer available. When the word substitute comes up some would say that the first thing that comes to mind would be teacher. Traditionally substituted teachers are employed and found through teaching agencies and recruiters. These agencies, while connecting educational organizations with teachers, also take a substantial fee for providing and organizing these connections.

What does the future hold for the teaching profession? Can eLearning replace local schools, or will it merely disrupt them to some kind of substantive change? On Demand platforms are utilizing technology in a way that the process of hiring is streamlined. It has created a platform where employees and employers meet. This in turn removes unnecessary  third party interactions, saving on business costs and increasing an employees income. Platforms such as Workfast, Freelancer, Directly and Axion are providing these B2B connections.

The concept of the On Demand economy may be new to some, the process of getting on board is. There are some naysayers out there who would call the On Demand economy a fad but the reality is it is not a bubble, nor is it a short term trend. The On Demand economy is growing and evolving at an incredible pace and is only seen to be going from strength to strength.

This post was sponsored by Workfast On Demand Work; image attribution flickr user globalpartnershipforeducation