Further education lecturer
Further education (FE) lecturers are responsible for teaching one or more subjects in any of the following settings:
They teach at all levels, from entry level to foundation degrees and professional qualifications. Courses may lead to general, vocational, or academic qualifications which prepare students for work or higher education (HE), or may support personal interest, e.g. hobby or leisure subjects.
Although FE lecturers work mainly with post-16 and/or adult learners, they are increasingly expected to work with younger learners within the 14-19 year-old curriculum.
Tasks include:
Lecturers and trainers in any sector need to be competent in the subject or vocational area they teach and this may be evidenced through qualification at degree level (or equivalent) or through considerable occupational experience.
This area of work is open to:
Professionals without academic qualifications are usually expected to have at least a level three (e.g. NVQ or A-level) qualification in their specialist subject.
It is essential for further education (FE) lecturers to have time management skills and research experience, and to be highly organised and able to observe well.
Although it is not essential, relevant student and classroom experience gained in a voluntary or work shadowing capacity is useful for this type of work. Classroom experience helps to gather an understanding of learner needs in a diverse and equal opportunities setting.
Since September 2007, all new lecturers entering the FE sector in England and Wales are required to obtain one of the following initial teacher training (ITT):
Lecturers choose between the diploma, which is a teaching qualification, equal to the PGCE/Cert Ed, or the certificate, depending on their role. Details of courses can be found on the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR) or TALENT (Training Adult Literacy, ESOL and Numeracy Teachers) websites.
New entrants have five years in which to gain full qualification, but it is an advantage to hold the qualification before applying for a job. Anyone gaining a lecturing job without the relevant teaching qualification has to gain a minimum of Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Sector award (PTLLS) within the first year. PTLLS is a useful introductory qualification for those unsure about developing a career in teaching. City & Guilds is the main provider of relevant qualifications up to level four.
There are two main roles: full teacher; and associate teacher. The associate teacher tends to be less involved in preparation and course design. They are more likely to deliver materials designed by someone else in a routine manner. An example of this may be training, where the same content is taught irrespective of whom the trainees are, for example, equipment training or workshop supervision.
Many FE colleges support their existing unqualified lecturing staff through part-time study leading to Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status in England and Wales or a Teaching Qualification in Further Education (TQFE) in Scotland. Similarly, Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS) status is available to unqualified lecturing staff in England and Wales, whose roles contain fewer teaching responsibilities. These teachers often have job titles such as trainer, instructor, technician or assessor.
All courses leading to FE teaching qualifications are endorsed by Standards Verification UK , the body responsible for endorsing generic initial teacher training (ITT) qualifications for the lifelong learning sector in England and Wales and those for Skills for Life practitioners in ESOL (English for speakers of other languages), literacy and numeracy in England.
For more information, see work experience and internships and search courses and research.
The professional body representing lecturers, trainers, tutors, teachers (including student teachers) employed in the learning and skills sector is the Institute for Learning (IfL) , which provides forums for best practice and networking opportunities. All lecturers are required to join and maintain their membership of the IfL.
As well as training for the required qualifications, in-service training is usually provided to update existing skills and knowledge, and to develop new skills. Continuing professional development (CPD) is a requirement for all further education (FE) lecturers as a condition of their IfL membership.
All new lecturers need to complete a process of Professional Formation within five years of starting to teach in the sector. This involves submitting a set of statements to the IfL showing how they are progressing and developing as a teacher, together with evidence of their teaching qualification and level two maths and English skills (GCSEs or similar). Satisfactory completion of Professional Formation leads to Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) or Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS) status, depending on your role.
It is possible to progress to senior lecturer, curriculum manager, head of department or divisional manager, but restricted college budgets have resulted in fewer management posts.
Career development is also possible by taking on additional non-teaching responsibilities, such as working in a pastoral role or as an admissions tutor. Some further education (FE) lecturers retrain to become support tutors, e.g. providing one-to-one support for students with dyslexia, or may deliver programmes for The Prince's Trust .
Some lecturers move out of a lecturing role and into college management in areas such as finance, quality standards, admissions, human resources and guidance.
Management posts often require relevant professional qualifications and experience and attract suitably qualified applicants from outside the education sector. Therefore, it may be necessary to pursue appropriate professional qualifications while working as a lecturer, such as an MBA or an NVQ in Advice and Guidance.
It is also possible to move into other branches of education, such as higher education (HE) or training. In the present climate of school teacher shortages, some lecturers have moved into schools to work as instructors, especially in those areas where schools have not traditionally offered the subject, particularly psychology or law. FE lecturers may also work as personal tutors, working with students in their own homes.
Since April 2012, schools are now able to employ members of the Institute for Learning (IfL) with Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status as qualified teachers, regardless of whether their background is in schools or FE.
Government initiatives aimed at increasing participation in education and improving Skills for Life, such as Skills for Sustainable Growth which launched in 2010, have led to more flexibility in how and where further education (FE) is provided.
There are over 500 FE colleges in the UK. Many of these run satellite centres in the community, operating from community centres, libraries, schools and high street premises. Local authorities also run adult education services, often in conjunction with FE colleges. Sixth form colleges exist in some areas (not in Scotland). Some colleges are privately run, often specialising in a particular vocational area.
Adult residential colleges also offer opportunities for teaching, more generally in special interest subjects such as archaeology, painting and philosophy, although these are determined by geographic availability.
FE lecturers may also work in the prison service (whose education service is usually contracted out to FE colleges), in the armed forces education branch, and in company training departments. There are some opportunities in organisations offering vocational and basic skills training to young people and adults, for example those on government work-based training schemes.
Overseas work, e.g. teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL), is a possibility. Voluntary and charitable institutions, such as the Workers' Educational Association (WEA) , may also offer openings.
Many FE lecturers have 'portfolio careers' and are employed by a number of organisations, sometimes on short-term contracts, whilst also working in their specialist area in other capacities outside education.
Some colleges use recruitment agencies, such as Protocol National , to fill part-time, full-time and occasional posts.
Not all jobs are advertised so you will need to be proactive in your jobseeking. Use placements, visits and voluntary work as opportunities to network, and be prepared to contact colleges directly.
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