More FE providers to benefit from £5 million scheme to boost teaching workforce

160 more industry professionals to be recruited as FE teachers. The outcomes of the second round of the £5 million Taking Teaching Further programme announced.

Colleges and further education providers will receive a funding boost through the Taking Teaching Further programme to help recruit over 160 new FE teachers, Skills Minister Anne Milton announced today (Friday 31 May).

The latest round of funding from the £5 million Taking Teaching Further programme will support 45 further education providers to recruit experienced industry professionals from sectors such as digital, engineering and construction, to work in the classroom.

The Government is also providing more than £900,000 to support 22 innovative projects to look at ways to improve the link between further education providers and industry so students are learning the skills and knowledge that employers require.

Apprenticeships and Skills Minister, Anne Milton said:

Teaching in further education is an incredibly rewarding career. We are reforming technical education in this country with the introduction of new T Levels and we want more staff with industry skills to pass on their expertise and inspire the next generation.

I’m thrilled to announce the second round of providers who will be offered funding to help over 160 industry professionals to become FE teachers.

We’ve already seen fantastic stories of success. The fund has supported 47 new teachers and 19 innovative projects to date. I am looking forward to more teachers joining the profession to inspire, energise and bring on the next generation of highly-skilled young people.

The programme has already seen 47 new FE teachers recruited across the country. This includes East Kent College who have recruited 5 teachers from sectors as construction, digital and education & childcare.

The scheme forms part of the Government’s wider commitment to support the further education sector as it prepares to introduce new T Level qualifications from 2020. T Levels will offer young people the opportunity to gain the required experience to secure a good job or progress into further training.

Chief Executive of the Education and Training Foundation, David Russell said:

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.

The number of applications to be part of the Taking Teaching Further programme increased over the two rounds. This shows a clear enthusiasm and commitment to this initiative from across the Further Education and Training sector.

Head of Teaching Academy, East Kent College, Simon Bigrigg said:

Strand 1 has provided EKC Group with a range of fantastic opportunities to develop our recruitment and training of teachers in ‘hard to fill’ areas. The project has enabled us to recruit 5 lecturers who are brand new to teaching into lecturing posts across our Group of Colleges, from Plumbing to Electrical, Carpentry, Digital and Early Years. So far, the recruited staff have greatly benefitted the support provided by the project in embarking on their roles and initial teacher education, making full use of the DET level 5 Programme and the shadowing and reduced timetables elements.

Looking ahead, we are confident that Round 1 of the TTF will provide the 5 recruits with the best possible foundation to develop their careers, and the project will continue to create development opportunities for staff making the transition from industry that is second to none”.

Curriculum Manager, Calderdale College, Robin Smith said:

Taking Teaching Further has enabled us to create innovative, hybrid roles which has led to us attracting our first highly skilled industry professional to join our curriculum team. Digital skills are a key area for economic growth in the Leeds City Region. The TTF programme means we will be able to deliver cutting-edge digital skills to fulfil the needs of our current and future students, providing a talent pipeline for employers in the region. The resultant comprehensive skills offer will include key areas required by employers, including cyber security, software development, systems and networks”.

Executive Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, Wakefield College, Karen Sykes said:

It is widely accepted that, to equip students with the skills they need for a career in construction, teaching staff must be recruited from industry. Historically, we have faced many challenges attracting and retaining the talented people we need. The support of the scheme has enabled us to transform our approach to supporting those making the transition into teaching. We are delighted that the approach we have taken has proved an attractive proposition in the jobs market for those who would like a change in direction. Our trainees are amazing and made an impact from day one!

Programme Manager, Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network, Matt Leigh said:

Through the Taking Teaching Further programme, the Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network (GMLPN) and the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce (GMCC) have developed The Greater Manchester Further Education and Industry Exchange project which has brought together Further Education Institutions (FEIs) and employers from across Greater Manchester in four sector-focussed Industry Boards. We’re particularly pleased that these partnerships aren’t just one to ones they are many to many and we’re confident that this positive, holistic, strategic and sustainable approach will not only generate the exchange activity and achieve the aims of programme but will also lead to long term partnerships that benefit everyone”.

The £5 million programme was launched in June 2018 to further boost the quality of the post-16 teaching workforce. It was designed in partnership with the Association of Colleges and the Education and Training Foundation, to create further links between the education sector and industry.

For further information about Taking Teaching Further, please visit the ETF website.