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Special educational needs coordinator

Also called SEN officer, SEN director, SEN coordinator

Special educational needs coordinators oversee programmes and activities that provide educational support to children with a variety of disabilities. They ensure they are up to date with the latest developments in the special needs research field with the objective of facilitating the special education processes needed to maximise the growth and learning potential of students with special learning needs, and advise the special education principal of these developments and new programme proposals.

Will there be jobs?Limited prospects21 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Teaching professionalsWhat does it pay?About averageFrom about €1,700 (Hungary) to €9,900 (Luxembourg) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Teaching professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually a degree9 in 10 have a degree.Teaching professionalsWill AI change it?In some tasksLevel 3 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Education methods specialists · ILO

What you'd do

Education methods specialists · ILO
  • Researching into current developments in curricula, teaching methods and other educational practices, and advising on necessary changes and possible improvements
  • Evaluating and advising on contents of courses and methods of examination
  • Researching into audiovisual and other teaching aids and advising on, planning and organizing their introduction in educational establishments
  • Documenting subjects and courses developed, and evaluating new courses
  • Providing ongoing professional development, training and consultative services to teachers
  • Organizing and conducting workshops and conferences to train teachers in new programmes and methods
  • Developing the structure, content and objectives of new educational courses and programmes
  • Visiting schools periodically and conferring with administrative and teaching staff on questions relating to curricula, teaching methods, equipment and other matters
  • Visiting classrooms to observe teaching techniques and to evaluate teachers performance, and scholastic results obtained
  • Preparing reports and making recommendations to educational authorities concerning possible changes and improvements in curricula, teaching methods, and other matters
Identify education needsGuarantee students' safetyCooperate with education professionalsAssist in the organisation of school eventsOrganise projects to fill education needs+ 7 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Instructional Coordinators"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as teaching professionals in the EU
9.04m10.91m10.66m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
2,551,000 replacing leavers 253,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Teaching professionals21
All jobs29
Right now
3 of 27 countries report a shortage of education methods specialists, 3 a surplus.
Education methods specialists · EURES

What does it pay?

About average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,700 a month (Hungary) to €9,900 (Luxembourg), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among professionals in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually a degree

A degree in education science is the usual route.

Highest qualification of teaching professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 88%Vocational 5%General secondary 5%Basic schooling 1%
Fields that teach it
Education science · Teacher training without subject specialisation
Vocational route, EU
Fewer than 1 in 10 trainees in this field
Education graduates in a matching job
74% in the EU

823 institutions in the EU offer education bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

In some tasks

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.39 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 10 tasks
Documenting subjects and courses developed, and evaluating new courses0.60
Developing the structure, content and objectives of new educational courses and programmes0.50
Evaluating and advising on contents of courses and methods of examination0.48
Preparing reports and making recommendations to educational authorities concerning possible changes and improvements in curricula, teaching methods, and other matters0.43
Researching into current developments in curricula, teaching methods and other educational practices, and advising on necessary changes and possible improvements0.41
Researching into audiovisual and other teaching aids and advising on, planning and organizing their introduction in educational establishments0.36
Providing ongoing professional development, training and consultative services to teachers0.34
Organizing and conducting workshops and conferences to train teachers in new programmes and methods0.30
Visiting schools periodically and conferring with administrative and teaching staff on questions relating to curricula, teaching methods, equipment and other matters0.27
Visiting classrooms to observe teaching techniques and to evaluate teachers performance, and scholastic results obtained0.23

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for education methods specialists. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).