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Further education lecturer: Salary and conditions

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Case studies

  • Range of typical starting salaries: £18,555 for an unqualified lecturer; £23,382 for a qualified lecturer.
  • Typical salary at senior lecturer level (after several years' experience): £35,304.
  • The above rates are recommended by the University and College Union (UCU) . Colleges are also able to negotiate their own salary scales with the national trade unions, the UCU and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) , and many do. 
  • Although the UCU represents further education (FE) staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, there are different pay structures in place for each nation in the UK. The registered union for FE in Scotland is the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) . Northern Ireland has completely separate pay structures in place for FE salaries. 
  • Many FE lecturers work part time and are paid pro-rata. Many lecturers are also employed on a sessional basis. Part-time FE lecturers' hourly rates vary from £15 to over £30 per hour, plus holiday pay/entitlement. 
  • Salaries vary according to teaching and industrial experience, qualifications, subject demand, institution or site, and geographical location.
  • Lecturers may be able to supplement income by various means, e.g. private tuition, evening classes, national examination marking, teaching on residential courses, external consultancy work or writing textbooks.
  • Typical working hours for full-time college lecturers are 37 hours a week, sometimes including one or more evening sessions. Also, extra hours are required for the planning and preparation of lessons, marking students' work, and attending meetings and open evenings, especially during term time.
  • Holiday entitlement is based on a number of days' leave per year, typically 37, plus bank holidays. Lecturers are expected to take annual leave outside of term time.
  • Positions can be fractional, permanent and part time, whilst sessional and fixed-term contracts are common.
  • A growth in partnership working between organisations has resulted in lecturers moving between institutions, e.g. schools, higher education and community-based learning centres.
  • Jobs are widely available. Opportunities exist in FE and training institutions in most major towns and cities throughout the country.
  • The gender balance varies depending on the subject taught. In some areas, such as construction, most lecturers are male (reflecting the gender balance of the industry), while others, e.g. beauty therapy, are dominated by women.
  • Lecturers are mainly institution-based, but the specific environment (e.g. classroom, laboratory or workshop) depends on the subject(s) taught. Some of the work may include field trips or study visits. Where appropriate, some teaching may take place on employer premises.
  • Extensive travel during the working day is uncommon, but may occasionally be required between sites and institutions, or for field trips. Lecturers may visit employers' premises to see students who are on work experience or taking courses that involve day-release or work-based learning.
  • Overnight absence from home is uncommon, as is overseas work or travel.
 
 
AGCAS
Written by AGCAS editors
Date: 
November 2011
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