A new national campaign that calls on skilled workers to take up a part-time teaching role in further education alongside their current job has been launched today.
The Department for Education, which promised such a campaign in the skills for jobs white paper, said there was a particular demand for FE teachers in construction, engineering and manufacturing, legal, finance, accounting, digital and health and social care.
Radio, TV, social media and a new dedicated website will be used to promote the ‘Teach in FE’ campaign to tackle the shortages.
Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “There are a huge number of industry professionals that already hold the knowledge and skills to make them a great further education teacher.
“We want to encourage those with industry experience to share their skills to inspire and train up the next generation of workers in their field.”
The DfE added that industry professionals looking to take up a “portfolio career” can teach their trade, skill or subject in a “wide range” of FE settings without the need for a specific qualification.
Last year’s skills for jobs white paper promised “significant new investment” to improve the FE workforce in 2021/22.
DfE surveys of college staff, cited in the white paper, showed that more than half of college principals find recruitment difficult and teaching vacancy rates in “crucial” subject areas such as engineering and construction were as high as five per cent.
Today’s campaign is hoped to “reach millions” of prospective teachers. A new website is expected to signpost current vacancies and help existing teachers and lecturers find professional development opportunities.
The campaign follows a £3 million expansion of the Taking Teaching Further programme, which aims to bring as many as 4,000 additional teachers into the FE sector by 2025.
The DfE did not say how much funding was earmarked for the Teach in FE campaign at the time of going to press.
Hi Billy, I have been in FE teaching at various colleges over the last 25 years teaching plumbing to apprentices and full time students in the Yorkshire region.
These ‘shortages’ have been brought about by the very people and organisations( college principals and Ofsted) who appear to be now suddenly concerned. Mainly through disrespect for the trades, poor salaries compared with schools and universities, a left wing bias and political correctness gone mad!
The poor levels of discipline and standards are a major negative because the worst behaviour is tolerated by principals on the basis of ‘bums on seats’ that damage those who want to learn.
While ever this liberal/left wing elite? including Ofsted are still in place nothing will change and this country will continue to drop off the skills cliff.
I have only recently decided to give up teaching and fear for the young.
Regards Steven Clay.