17 APR 2018

Why there is no such thing as a ‘hard to fill’ post in Further Education

There is no denying that many industry sectors are currently experiencing a skills shortage. Some recruitment consultants have turned this to their advantage, labelling some positions as ‘hard to fill’, with the expectation that it may well cost you more to find your perfect candidate.

If you are tasked with filling one of these so-called ‘hard to fill’ posts, don’t panic! There is no need to automatically assume that finding the right fit candidate has to necessarily be a more costly, time consuming or difficult task. What’s the answer? Developing a targeted, strategic approach, utilising methods beyond traditional job boards and becoming more creative with your recruitment tactics simply needs to become your new norm.

Facing up to the realities of ‘skills shortage’ roles in Further Education.

One area of the Further Education community which continues to struggle to attract new candidates is vocational courses where both teachers and assessors remain a rare commodity. Courses such as Bricklaying, Hairdressing and Plumbing need experienced, skilled workers to teach the next generation. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects are also struggling to recruit new teachers. But whilst recognising that there currently are limited numbers of already qualified candidates in these areas, we shouldn’t view these as ‘hard to fill’ roles which are going to be impossible to fill. We should view them as ‘skills shortage’ roles and think more creatively about how we can attract workers currently doing the do, and enlighten them about what teaching can offer and how valuable their hands-on knowledge and experience is.

Where to find these skilled workers who might be the perfect fit for your vacancy.

Traditional Further Education job boards won’t hit the mark when you’re trying to attract candidates that are currently working in their skilled industries. For a start, they may not have even considered teaching as a viable option for their next career move so those boards won’t even be on their radar. Instead, try taking a fresh approach and identify where a hairdresser might look for their next role or what kind of job boards, publications and social networking sites construction workers or plumbers might use and target those.

No Further Education experience? No problem.

Making it completely clear that teaching experience or qualifications are not required is paramount, as is stating that on-the-job training is available as well as possible funding to achieve their teaching qualifications. Focus on how valuable their years of hands-on experience is and start a conversation.

Robustly communicate the benefits of moving out of their chosen industry and what they could gain by teaching such as a stable career, long holidays, excellent benefits package and career development. If salaries don’t match industry levels, then translate the financial equivalent of the extensive range of benefits offered to staff at your Further Education College as this can make all the difference.

Get creative with your recruitment process.

Once you have targeted your potential recruits and gained their interest, reassess your college’s recruitment process from the candidate perspective, reduce as many barriers to entry as possible and focus on their valuable transferrable skills rather than their lack of teaching experience.

It is essential to allow candidates to approach you in a number of ways, as a rigid, inflexible recruitment process will turn off potential candidates who are unfamiliar with the teaching arena and may well be in high demand.

Hold open days where informal conversations can build on the candidate’s initial interest. Lengthy application forms can quickly discourage candidates if it is not something they have previously been required to do. Consider accepting CVs and covering letters initially and face-to-face interviews for the next step where soft skills and the candidate’s potential aptitude for teaching can be assessed.

Encouraging personal recommendations from existing staff also opens another avenue for potential candidates.

Sounds good but not sure where to start?