After the final bell, Derek Poci packed his bags and checked to make sure he had everything so he could go to his second job at MCC, looking over slides and checking what the lecture would be about for the night.

The last few years have been challenging for many, due to the cost of living rising and inflation skyrocketing. Because of that, there have been many reports of teachers taking on a second job to have a sense of financial security.

According to Ed Source, “the researchers analyzed federal teacher data from 1994 to 2021 and found that teachers who took on extra jobs in school were more likely to stay than those who did not.”

“We get a raise every year as a teacher,” teacher at MCHS and professor at MCC Derek Poci says, “but the cost of living is outpaced our race, so it’s hard to have a comfortable I shouldn’t say it’s hard, but extra money is always useful, and so that’s why I think more and more teachers are finding a second, smaller source of income.”

Other factors play a role in why many teachers have a job, but specifically over the summer time.

“I think teachers take a second job usually,” substitute teacher at the Upper Campus, Kayleigh Jensen says, “because in the summer there’s like one big check at the end, and then you have to make that last all summer. So to kind of alleviate some of that stress, picking up a second job, especially over the summer.”

Because of this, many teachers don’t want to be too concerned with their finances over the summer.

“Over the summer, I house sat and pet sat,” Jensen says. “A lot of people go on vacations then, so I am constantly covering people’s houses so they can go on vacation, and I get paid to watch their animals.”

When Poci arrived at MCC for his night class, he took a glance at his class notes and was ready to teach his second job.