Pathway to teaching?

[spud1]

Hi,

Can anyone give me any advice on finding a pathway to Teaching ?
I’ve been on the tools for 20 years, relish the theory and the maths and the science and the regs and would like to add another string to my bow and maybe get into a bit of lecturing.

I have no idea what quals I would need!

Thank you.

 

[Pete999]

Hi,

Can anyone give me any advice on finding a pathway to Teaching ?
I’ve been on the tools for 20 years, relish the theory and the maths and the science and the regs and would like to add another string to my bow and maybe get into a bit of lecturing.

I have no idea what quals I would need!

Thank you.

What quals do you hold already Spud1

 

[spud1]

Thanks for your reply. I did a 4 year apprenticeship, qualified to level 3, I have level 3 PAT testing, also test and inspect, did 17th edition full regs back along, recently passed my full 18th edition regs course too, and also level 4 design.

 

[ackbarthestar]

Most FE colleges are desperate for new teaching blood but they maybe reticent to take you on board without some form of references. and the dubious CRB check

Your technical qualifications are fine.

Most colleges, if not all, will train you up once you get your foot in the door.

You can of course sign up with an agency but then they will take a large percentage of what you could really earn .

May i suggest that you send off some CV letters to all your local colleges and training providers. If you get past the interview stage your next task will be the classroom.

Prepare a couple of lesson plans on your favourite subject to take to the interview...

 

[spud1]

Thanks akbarthestar it's reassuring that there is a need for newbies out there.
I've been reading about the eventual need for cert ed PGCE teaching quals. Is this the sort of training you mean when you talk about colleges training you up once your in?

 

[ackbarthestar]

Yes that's it.
A good college will want to have their staff trained as it looks good on their resume' and it also shows their commitement to you.

 

[spud1]

In your experience Would I be expected to work voluntarily in the beginning ?

 

[ackbarthestar]

From my experience I was just dumped into a mature evening class with 20 students managed to get through my first 3 hour class and loved it. Later into my teaching career, I took on a newbie to teaching who ran his own electrical company and he found it too stressful.

A good college will see if you have the natural flare first before dumping you in the deep end. If I were still teaching and you were living in my vacinity, I'd certainly give you a shot at the title....
Teachers, particularly in the electrical/technical departments are always on the lookout for enthusiastic newcommers

 

[Pete999]

Most FE colleges are desperate for new teaching blood but they maybe reticent to take you on board without some form of references. and the dubious CRB check

Your technical qualifications are fine.

Most colleges, if not all, will train you up once you get your foot in the door.

You can of course sign up with an agency but then they will take a large percentage of what you could really earn .

May i suggest that you send off some CV letters to all your local colleges and training providers. If you get past the interview stage your next task will be the classroom.

Prepare a couple of lesson plans on your favourite subject to take to the interview...

Depends entirely on what subject you intend to teach Spud 1, I would doubt very much PAT and the 17th Update to BS 7671 are suitable qualifications, sorry for being so blunt in my reply, just don't agree with the previous poster's appraisal.

 

[ackbarthestar]

Well Pete, You know as well as I do that a newcommer to electriacal teaching is not going to start by teaching the level 3/4 short courses. including 2391.2377,2382,2396 et al
and is unlikely to start off teaching NVQ, 2365 L3

Have you taught before?

 

[westward10]

One of my mates I used to work with had had enough of early mornings and the grind of it all and went on to get a post at his local college. I believe he is more an assistant to the lecturers but he loves it and after five years is still there, give it a go.

 

[Pete999]

Well Pete, You know as well as I do that a newcommer to electriacal teaching is not going to start by teaching the level 3/4 short courses. including 2391.2377,2382,2396 et al
and is unlikely to start off teaching NVQ, 2365 L3

Have you taught before?

Me? no mate.

 

[Pete999]

One of my mates I used to work with had had enough of early mornings and the grind of it all and went on to get a post at his local college. I believe he is more an assistant to the lecturers but he loves it and after five years is still there, give it a go.

Good for him Westy

 

[FatAlan]

Check with the colleges to see what they want. There may also be a difference between the private Electrical Trainee type courses and traditional colleges. I do get the impression that there is a shortage of teachers in this subject area. I recently did a load of C&G courses with a private company. The tutors were time served sparks but the communication and organisation between them and their bosses was s**t and lesson prep and support materials was poor. I’m currently doing a 2365 at a local college with the theory being taught by a time served spark but the practical side by a tutor that hasn’t been in the real world.

 

[ackbarthestar]

I'll tell you the colleges are desperate for anyone who wants to learn how to teach apprentices.

What you need to get the ball rolling is Level 3 Electrical installation qualification. The more experience the better

You will know whether its an opportunity or a curse .

 

[ackbarthestar]

Me? no mate.

It strikes me that you have a bucket load of experience coupled with Knowledge. May i suggest, if you are not fully retired, disabled that you might consider to send your CV into Nene college and see what transpires.......

 

[ruston]

I'll tell you the colleges are desperate for anyone who wants to learn how to teach apprentices.

What you need to get the ball rolling is Level 3 Electrical installation qualification. The more experience the better

You will know whether its an opportunity or a curse .

I know that my local college had no one in the electrical engineering section a month ago.

 

[Pete999]

It strikes me that you have a bucket load of experience coupled with Knowledge. May i suggest, if you are not fully retired, disabled that you might consider to send your CV into Nean college and see what transpires.......

Thanks, but no thanks.

 

[spud1]

Depends entirely on what subject you intend to teach Spud 1, I would doubt very much PAT and the 17th Update to BS 7671 are suitable qualifications, sorry for being so blunt in my reply, just don't agree with the previous poster's appraisal.

Thanks for your honesty Pete. I did the full 17th and 18th courses not just the updates. Passed both exams at 100%. Cause I'm a nerd!
Do you think my level 4 design course would stand me in good stead?

 

[spud1]

From my experience I was just dumped into a mature evening class with 20 students managed to get through my first 3 hour class and loved it. Later into my teaching career, I took on a newbie to teaching who ran his own electrical company and he found it too stressful.

A good college will see if you have the natural flare first before dumping you in the deep end. If I were still teaching and you were living in my vacinity, I'd certainly give you a shot at the title....
Teachers, particularly in the electrical/technical departments are always on the lookout for enthusiastic newcommers

One worry I do have is that the pay wouldn't be as rewarding as sparking. I have a young family to support and make a reasonable all be it unstable living as a self employed sparky.

 

[Dave OCD]

It wouldn't work out Pete, as soon as you tried getting them doing chasing with a hammer and bolster most of the little snowflakes would quit.

Edit - reply to Petes post.

 

[ackbarthestar]

One worry I do have is that the pay wouldn't be as rewarding as sparking. I have a young family to support and make a reasonable all be it unstable living as a self employed sparky.

Depends on what you expect to earn.

I know of several installers registered for VAT and have new Vans each year. Last teaching job offered to me through an agency was £42K. There are, however, mittigating circumstances.

You'd probably start, with your level of qualifications and experience, in the late 20s to early 30s. As you get more teaching experience and qualifications you'd qualify for a higher salary.
The benefits are a pension, health insurance, a 9 to 5 job witha couple of evening classes. An easier lifestyle and a jump in social status. ah yes, also covered through the college for professional indemnity.

 

[Spunkywads26]

I can speak from experience as I started part time and just gone full time this academic year.

I did a 4 year apprenticeship and had 17th + 2394/5 on my CV. Saw an advert for a lecturer at a college so applied. I think that as I was fresh from the tools they offered me part time to see if the fit was good. I'm now full-time and enjoying it.

The money is not amazing £35k but the pension is unrivalled (unless the government f#@k that up). As a newbie the job is hard as there is a lot of stuff to get your head round. I wing it alot in the classroom and am guided what to teach by others. The structure will be learnt by me later.

As for qualifications, once you get a position the college will fund you to get your teaching quals. I had a degree previously so have been enrolled on the DET level 5, but you could do the old PTLLS (lvl 3), CTLLS (lvl 4), DTLLS (lvl 5) route. I think that this will be down to the college. They probably want you to do an assessors award followed by IQA qual.

Hope this helps.

 

[Pete999]

Thanks for your honesty Pete. I did the full 17th and 18th courses not just the updates. Passed both exams at 100%. Cause I'm a nerd!
Do you think my level 4 design course would stand me in good stead?

The 17 and 18 th courses are the courses for the updates to BS 7671, there are those, and if I'm being honest, think these courses are just an excercise in navigating the publication that is BS7671.
Like I said Spud, depends what you are intending to lecture in, the design course may be of use but like someone else said, try different teaching establishments, you never know, until you try.
Someone asked me if I had any teaching experience, well no I haven't I was asked to take up a post at RAF Cardington, which was the DOE PSA training depot, but the thought of standing up in a classroom full of my peers, scared me somewhat, what it would be like teaching youngsters, that would give me nightmares, I guess teaching is a vocation, OK for some, but if you feel that's you then give it a go, if you don't try you'll never know, good luck,

 

[bailes1992]

I worked for a college for 8 months last year. I started as an NVQ Assessor and doing the occasional lecture.

Pay was awful, started on £21,750. Luckily I was out in the car most days and making a few quid on the 40p a mile allowance I had.

I was promised the pay would rise rapidly but it never did and was one of the deciding factors of leaving.

It wasn't for me, there wasn't enough pressure and enough workload. I also couldn't deal with the political correctness and the ridiculous amount of money wasted on the Welsh language.