There are currently 2.3 million people in government-funded adult further education, of which 509,000 are in apprenticeship.
Are you working in industry but ready to try something different? Or are you a mechanic, stylist, engineer, architect, scientist, mathematician? Try FE. You’ll be amazed at what’s inside you.
Truly change lives…
Our further education professionals tell us time and again that they believe FE is the best place to teach. The magic of it, they tell us, is that further education is where many learners who did not feel confident at school suddenly find their feet and flourish, finding new skills and opportunities to sculpt their life path.
Whether you’re a plumber, mechanic, stylist, health professional or chef, your professional experience and trade qualifications are highly valued by your students.
Train as you teach
You can train to teach in FE either before you start teaching – pre-service - or after - in - service. Education and Training (formerly Preparing to Teach in the Life Long Sector, PTLLS) courses are available for lecturers transferring over to vocational lecturing.
Pre-service options: first decide which subject you want to teach, based on your professional experience and qualifications. You’ll usually need at least a level 3 qualification – about A-level standard. Training is based on one-year courses and you apply directly to your chosen training provider. Courses are usually held at the training provider at the start, but during the second and third terms you’ll spend most of your time at supervised teaching placements at an FE college or other suitable locations.
In-service options: over 50% of FE teachers start teaching before applying for a teaching qualification. Your first step is to get a teaching role and your employer will often arrange training as a condition of employment. It usually lasts two years and consists of an evening or half day per week.
Professional FE qualifications include:
- Level 3 Award in Education and Training (QCF)
- Level 4 Certificate in Education and Training (QCF)
- Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training (QCF)
- Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training including a specialist pathway or literacy, English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL), mathematics or special educational needs (SEN) (QCF)
- PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) in post-compulsory education
You can also take a Cert Ed (Certificate in Education) which meets the Level 5 requirements but does not require a degree. Instead you will need a Level 3 qualification in the area you wish to teach or extensive experience.
What next?
If you are interested in moving from industry into lecturing, it’s a good idea to check out e jobs that are out there and attend a recruitment fair for a college to speak face to face with a recruiter. The roles within FE are uniquely variable because much of the task relies on the tutor’s individual strengths to draw the best out of their learner. This means that college recruitment events such as roadshows, virtual and real open days on online forums are really useful because they allow practicing professionals understand how their skills might match teaching.
Useful sites:
If you’re arranging your training, visit the Talent website for details of your local training providers
Contact FE Advice at the Education & Training foundation
Funding and bursaries advice: here
FE Teaching materials, research and CPD: here
Continuous Professional Development: here
FE Advice: website for information about the FE and Skills sector in England: information about becoming a teacher, incentives for training, qualifications, the Society for Education and Training (SET), the variety of the sector and most of what you need to know as a new entrant or an existing worker. Get into Teaching: here
