Your art skills are transferable – and five more reasons to teach

If you want to do more than what you know in 2022, look no further. The Department for Education’s New Further Education (FE) Teacher Recruitment Campaign and Digital Services aims to attract skilled industry professionals from a number of key sectors – including construction, engineering and manufacturing, legal, finance and accounting, digital / IT and health and social care. .

FE is a study, usually for students 16+ years of age, which is after high school at FE colleges and other providers. This may be the next step for teens and school dropouts but equally accessible for adults who want to improve their skills or change careers. There is a wide range of subjects, including a unique offer of technical and vocational courses that aim to equip students with practical, action-oriented skills.

So, if you have industry experience, the FE sector is actively looking to recruit people like you to help pass on your knowledge and experience to the next generation of students and prepare them for the world of work.

Sounds interesting? Here are six top benefits of teaching at FE.

Your art skills are completely transferable
Your skills are more valuable than you realize. Real-world industry experience is invaluable for the role of FE teaching – in fact, this is exactly what FE employers are looking for. Since many courses are technical, they are usually quite hands-on, so you can directly apply your art skills to a new role. From practical knowledge of etiquette in the workplace, all are considered transferable and relevant for teaching at FE.

You can teach at FE in addition to your current job
Industry professionals can continue their current job in addition to FE education, as part-time and flexible contracts are readily available. Flexible agreements enable FE teachers to keep up to date with the industry they are interested in while taking advantage of the unique benefits of FE teaching.

In fact, according to further education workforce data for England for 2018-2019, 46% of FE teachers work part-time in college and 43% from other providers.

You can earn during training
You can jump into teaching directly at FE. You do not always need previous educational qualifications or experience and funding is available for certain subjects so that new teachers can start earning directly and take on-the-job training. For example, the government-funded Taking Teacher Forward program covers the cost of working to train new industry employers.

You don’t always need a degree
If you want to teach a FE course related to your industry – such as a construction apprentice – you don’t necessarily need a degree. The real-world skills that you have acquired while working in the sector can often be accepted in the absence of a degree in your subject.

You can use your experience to change lives
If you like the idea of ​​life change without changing your career, look no further. Being an FE teacher means you will train the next generation of staff in your sector, and pass on your knowledge and experience to future talents. It can be extremely rewarding and give you the opportunity to make a real difference in both personal and professional abilities. You can shape the course, showcase your skills and experience, and help prepare your students for a bright and fulfilling career.

FE has a role to play in teaching, right now, near you!
There are thousands of publicly funded FE providers in England, including colleges, which means you can get a FE education job somewhere near you. You can also work in adult and community education centers, prisons and juvenile delinquency organizations and voluntary organizations. If you want a chance to share your skills, what are you waiting for?

To learn more about a rewarding career in teaching more, read-in-f Further-education.campaign.gov.uk.