A new year brings new opportunities. Whether you’re craving a fresh challenge or simply want to do something more meaningful with your experience, teaching in FE could be a great next step for you!
FE teaching is about sharing what you know, inspiring others and helping shape the next generation of workers in your industry. If you’ve spent time building skills and knowledge in the workplace, you already have a strong foundation to get started.
Here are 5 reasons you should consider it:
Your experience matters
Industry experience is highly valued in FE. From engineering and manufacturing to healthcare, construction or digital, and more, your real-world skills can help learners succeed in their future careers.
Give back and inspire the next generation
FE teaching is a chance to support learners and future talent as they prepare to enter their chosen industry.
Flexible ways to teach
Teaching in FE can be flexible - there are opportunities to teach part-time alongside your current job, meaning that you can change lives without changing your career.
Train while you earn
You don’t always need prior teaching qualifications or a degree to get started. Many FE teachers train on the job, often funded by the employer, and start earning straight away.
A role with real variety
Teaching in FE can take place in hands-on workshops, onsite, or in classroom-based settings offering varied, rewarding ways to make a difference!
Teacher spotlight
Tracy Ashcroft, who teaches Health and Social Care and Early Childhood Development at One College Suffolk, shares:
“After 18 years working in the childcare sector, I realised just how much experience and knowledge I had to offer the next generation. When you’ve been in an industry a long time, it’s easy to forget how valuable your skills are. Teaching in FE gives you the chance to share them.
Even without prior teaching qualifications, you can train on the job and start earning from day one. I found the application process straightforward, and the support I received was fantastic. FE teaching is about building strong relationships with learners and tailoring your approach to their needs. I love using real-life examples from my time in the early years sector to guide and support my students.
It’s rewarding to see learners complete their course and move into essential roles, from nursery workers and carers to midwives, nurses and social workers. Watching their confidence grow as they discover how they want to help their communities is something special.
If you’re thinking about trying something new this year, FE teaching could be a chance to use your experience in a new way, make a positive impact on others and find fresh purpose in your own career.”
Interested? The Department for Education - Teach in FE team can help:
Get in touch with the Teach in FE support team for personalised advice on your journey into FE teaching. Email Teach.FE@education.gov.uk at any time, or phone 0800 389 2502 Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:30pm.
They can help you explore what teaching is like, the qualifications you need, and support your journey to becoming a great FE teacher. They will guide you in finding a job, preparing your application, and boosting your confidence before you apply for a role.
Visit our jobs page to start looking for vacancies in your subject area here.