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Former Teacher Explains Why He Quit After Six Years To Go Work At Walmart

Former Teacher Explains Why He Quit After Six Years To Go Work At Walmart

Seth Goshorn worked as a teacher for nearly six years before changing paths

A man who spent six years working as a teacher has explained why he gave up his career to start a new job at Walmart.

Many people work tirelessly in a bid to go viral on TikTok, but Seth Goshorn managed to do so by posting a six-second video in which he didn't even talk.

Instead, the 28-year-old simply held up a zip-up vest branded with Walmart's logo and wrote: "Leaving teaching after 6 years to go be a manager at Walmart and make more not using my degree."

The clip has been viewed thousands of times since he posted it on 18 July, prompting comments from curious TikTok users about what spurred him to take a new path.

In an interview with Good Morning America, Goshorn explained he had 'absolutely' loved teaching, but that he couldn't resist the higher salary being offered at Walmart as he looks ahead to starting a family with his fiancée in the near future.

"The compensation," he said, "it was a lot better than I think people are used to and what people would expect."

Goshorn now makes about $55,000 (£45,300) a year before bonuses by working as a stocking 2 coach at a Walmart store in Ohio, having previously earned $43,000 (£35,400) teaching with Plain Local Schools in Ohio's Stark County last year.

The 28-year-old started out as a reading tutor before moving to a second-grade teacher in a district he described as a 'middle [to] upper' paying. Stark County school district confirmed to GMA their elementary teacher salaries range from $43,896 (£36,210) to $83,766 (£69,000).

While teaching, Goshorn also coached two sports and worked summer school sessions.

Seth Goshorn worked extra jobs alongside teaching.
@sg_powerlifting/TikTok

As well as an increase in pay, Goshorn said he saw more opportunity to move up the ladder at Walmart as he pointed out: "You don't have to go and get another degree or more initials or letters in front of your name to move up."

In having his story go viral, the former teacher hopes to shine a light on his belief that teachers are under-appreciated in the wake of a national teacher shortage in the US.

He explained: "There's a misconception that we only work six or nine months out [of] a year. Think about how good our teachers can be if they could focus on just teaching and not have to work a second job on the weekends.

"They chose to be a teacher because they're passionate about it. They didn't choose to have to work a second job that comes along with it, and that's the thing that I would have loved to see go away."

Goshorn made clear he is not trying to discourage anyone from becoming a teacher, but stressed he just wants teachers to be paid fairly.

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Featured Image Credit: Good Morning America

Topics: US News, Money