The Further Education (FE) sector and the UK’s key technical industries have always shared a close relationship. FE feeds industries’ talent pipelines, training up the next generation of engineers, construction workers, hairdressers, and animal carers. In turn, industries work with the FE sector to share up-to-date expertise and knowledge and to ensure the curriculum reflects current skills demands.
Taking Teaching Further (TTF) - a national initiative delivered by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) and funded by the Department for Education (DfE) – further strengthens this relationship between industry and FE, recruiting industry and business professionals directly into FE teaching roles. The programme supports FE providers with funding to cover the cost of training recruits from industry, including supporting a reduced teaching timetable in the first year to allow time for participants’ professional development. TTF has already seen four rounds of successful recruitment between 2018 and 2022.
This year, 11 FE colleges are taking part in a new project designed to boost local participation in TTF. The project involves a new Career Site, developed in partnership with Eteach and FE Jobs, which signposts industry and business professionals towards TTF vacancies at participating FE providers in their local area.
Along with current vacancies, the Jobs Board website sets out the criteria for prospective applicants. Anyone applying for a TTF vacancy must have a minimum of two years’ experience in their area of expertise and must have industry or business experience within the last 18 months. Vacancies cover 15 key technical areas that are in high demand across the UK. Beyond these technical routes, TTF also includes a ‘core skills’ element, which aims to support the recruitment of business and industry experts to teach English, maths or SEND to Technical subject students.
Crucially, the TTF vacancies on offer are flexible and varied, with both part-time and full-time opportunities available. Part-time jobs mean professionals have the option to change lives through education without changing their career. Equally, full-time positions offer the chance for professionals to apply their rich industry knowledge through teaching, rather than in ways more typical to their chosen profession.
As well as providing prospective applicants with information about TTF vacancies, the new Jobs Board website includes the option to register interest in TTF. Professionals who are interested, but not yet ready to apply directly for a role, can sign up to join the Taking Teacher Further business and industry professionals' talent pool so they can stay up to date with teaching jobs in their area.
Whether through part-time or full-time teaching, the direct transfer of industry knowledge and expertise to the FE system is vital to ensure that the next generation and future workforce is equipped with relevant and up-to-date skills and knowledge. FE is key to closing the UK’s digital and technical skills gaps, and individuals with industry expertise have a vital role to play in supporting that goal.
Find vacancies in your local area on the FE jobs website.