FE leaders discuss benefits of recruiting teaching staff through Taking Teaching Further

Three Further Education (#FE) leaders who took advantage of funding to support their recruitment of teachers explain why other FE providers should sign up to the Taking Teaching Further (TTF) programme.  

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) launched Round 4 of TTF, a Department for Education (DfE) funded initiative, in March. The programme helps FE providers recruit, train and retain industry professionals to become teachers in technical subjects. 

Funding is made available to FE providers at a rate of £18,200 per place to cover the costs of the new recruit undertaking a Level 5 teaching qualification, receiving intensive support such as paired teaching or work shadowing, as well as having reduced classroom time. 

Having taken part in Round 3 of the Taking Teaching Further, three FE leaders offer their thoughts on the programme. 

Cath Gunn, Principal of Barfield College – West Herts College Group, said: “Taking Teaching Further has helped us to overcome barriers to teacher recruitment and enabled us to successfully appoint an experienced industry expert to our Media department.  Our students are benefitting from specialist knowledge about the latest techniques and approaches used in industry, whilst our teacher is developing their skills and understanding of teaching and training. A perfect example of how occupational and pedagogical expertise supports improvements in the quality of teaching needed for technical education and training.”

Nav Chohan, Principal of Shipley College, said: “Further Education has an ageing workforce, the numbers set to retire in the next ten years are a threat to our future. Taking Teaching Further supports us in attracting a wide range of vocational experts into our wonderful sector and sows the seeds for success in the decades to come.” 

Nicki Kelly, Assistant Principal, South Essex College, said: “Taking Teaching Further has enabled us as a college to promote our vacancies to attract highly skilled industry professional to join the college with an excellent support package for their journey into teaching. This package has provided additional support and incentive to applicants into the unknown territory to teaching, which is not perceived in a positive light.” 

Managed by the ETF, which also played a key role in the programme’s development, Taking Teaching Further launched in June 2018 with three rounds of funding between 2018 and 2021. The launch of Round 4 follows the Government’s announcement to expand the recruitment initiative in the Skills for Jobs White Paper. Building on the success of the previous three rounds, funding is offered through two routes: Route 1 for all FE colleges and Sixth Forms, and Route 2 for all other FE provider types. 

On Thursday 22 April, the ETF is hosting a webinar that will feature an overview of the programme, an FE provider talking through their experience of recruiting and retaining teaching staff through TTF, and a Q&A session at the end.