Leeds City College is Taking Teaching Further with new teacher recruitment

Leeds City College is looking to recruit new teachers as part of the £5million government- funded Taking Teaching Further programme. The national government-funded initiative aims to help recruit over 150 industry experts into teaching roles in Further Education (FE) colleges and providers across England.

Taking Teaching Further was launched by the Department for Education in June 2018 with two rounds of funding announced. The first round successfully funded 37 colleges and further education providers across two strands. In May 2019, the Department for Education announced 54 colleges and further education providers, including Leeds City College, that are being funded in round 2.

Delivered by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) on behalf of the Department for Education, Strand 1 of the programme is funding the chosen providers, including Leeds City College, to recruit industry experts to teach in four key areas:

• Childcare and Education
• Digital
• Construction
• Engineering and Manufacturing

Other Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subject areas will also be considered where clear evidence exists for why they are hard-to-fill vacancies.

New teachers through the programme will be fully funded to undertake a Level 5 Diploma in Education & Training (DET), over two years. This will be classroom-based with practical support given to the new teachers that could include team teaching and work shadowing arrangements.

The recruitment forms part of the government’s wider commitment to support the FE sector as it prepares to introduce the new T Level qualifications from 2020. T Levels are new two year technical programmes for young people aged 16 to 19, available at selected colleges and providers, including Leeds City College. Their primary purpose is to prepare students for entry into skilled employment, or higher level technical study.

Taking Teaching Further is initially running as a two year pilot. The programme’s Strand 2 is also supporting the ongoing exchange between FE providers and industry in order to allow teachers and providers to gain industry knowledge and skills that will enhance student learning.

Dr Nena Skrbic, Head of Teacher Education at Leeds City College, said: “We are very happy to be part of the national Taking Teaching Further programme, working with the ETF to recruit occupational experts to teach at our college.

“The UK has a severe shortage of STEM teachers and the programme aims to address this deficit. The benefits of recruiting industry professionals into the teaching profession are wide-ranging.

“Industry experts make a significant contribution to vocational learners’ insight into contemporary technical knowledge and real-life practice, including the professional behaviours for specific technical contexts.

“The recruitment of industry specialists also enhances our ability to offer challenging industry-specific programmes and supports the development of existing curricula in line with current or prevailing industry trends. This is particularly important in view of current and future technical reforms.”

Chief Executive of the Education and Training Foundation, David Russell, said in the Round 2 providers announcement in May: “There is a vital need to bring the very best industry talent into the sector, so they can pass on their expertise and experience to both learners and fellow teachers and trainers.

“This is alongside the urgency to deepen the links between employers and further education. This programme is proving popular because it brings both needs together and we are confident it will make a real long-term difference.”

Applications for roles at Leeds City College close on 31 October 2019.

For information on the roles available and how to apply, visit leedscitycollege.ac.uk/employers/pathways-into-teaching/. Further information on the Taking Teaching Further programme can be found on the ETF’s website at etfoundation.co.uk/takingteachingfurther.