10 JAN 2024

How can we attract and retain the next generation of FE staff?

As we enter 2024, recruitment and retention of high-quality teachers is a critical issue across the further education (FE) sector, particularly in vocational courses where both educators and assessors are in short supply.

STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) and vocational areas like Plumbing and Hairdressing are seeing an uptick in vacancies. The importance of vocational education is escalating in the UK due to the increasing demand for practical skills and employability. The study of technology, for instance, opens doors to modern career paths. Following the 2011 Wolf Report, maths has become essential in FE, linking continued study to funding for 16 to 19-year-olds without a GCSE grade C.

Addressing FE Skill Shortages

The UK government plans to introduce 4,000 new teachers into FE by 2025. However, current recruitment efforts, including a £3 million tender for the Taking Teaching Further programme, may not immediately remedy the shortage. It’s crucial to shift our perspective on these roles from "hard to fill" to "skills shortage" and seek innovative ways to attract industry professionals to teaching.

No experience, no problem.

The challenge lies in locating industry experts for teaching and assessment roles. Traditional job boards are inadequate for passive recruitment. Instead, we must use innovative strategies to reach potential candidates in their professional spheres, like specialised job boards and social media platforms they frequent.

Entering FE Without Prior Experience

It's essential to communicate that prior teaching experience isn't a prerequisite. Emphasising on-the-job training and potential funding for teaching qualifications can be effective. Acknowledging the value of hands-on experience can also attract skilled professionals to FE.

Why Choose a Career in FE?

Candidates must be informed about the benefits of teaching, including competitive salaries in certain specialisms. Despite the potential for lower pay compared to some industries, FE offers excellent benefits and conditions, such as generous holiday entitlements and opportunities for flexible working arrangements.

The Rewards of Teaching in FE

Teaching in FE allows professionals to continue practicing their trade while impacting the next generation. FE careers offer a chance for creativity and the satisfaction of helping learners succeed through innovative teaching methods.

Innovating Recruitment Processes

Utilising recruitment open days and leveraging existing staff networks can attract potential candidates. It's also important to streamline the recruitment process, making it more accessible to those from outside the education sector.

Removing barriers for applicants

Once you have targeted your potential candidates and gained their interest, reassess your college’s recruitment process from the candidate perspective. Reduce as many barriers to entry as possible and focus on their valuable transferrable skills, rather than their lack of teaching experience.

It is essential to allow candidates to approach you in a number of ways, as a rigid, inflexible recruitment process will turn off potential candidates who are unfamiliar with the education sector. Lengthy application forms are commonplace in educational institution recruitment and many candidates from industry are used to applying for roles by submitting CVs. Application forms can quickly discourage candidates if it is not something they have previously been required to do. Could these forms be shortened for those applying from industry? Do they have to list every educational achievement in the same way in which a higher education lecturer would be expected to do? Is a personal statement needed when a cover letter could suffice? Is there an assessment centre option where soft skills and the candidate’s potential aptitude for teaching be easily assessed? Those new to education are unlikely to have attended a panel interview before, therefore what guidance can you provide?

Regular engagement with applicants throughout the process is key as well as step by step support. Safeguarding, compliance and training are all vital elements in the FE recruitment and onboarding process, but a clear explanation as to why these aspects have to take place and the time each stage of the process takes should be included. Often turnaround takes longer in education and you could lose candidates who are interviewing elsewhere.

The Importance of FE Recruitment

With a global teacher shortage, FE recruitment is crucial for delivering skills training and supporting economic growth through apprenticeships and T Levels. Effective recruitment and clear communication about the benefits of working in FE are key to retaining quality staff.

One of the most attractive prospects about working as a FE teacher is the opportunity for flexible working that just isn’t available in most other career paths. Many workers are disillusioned with a 9 to 5 working day, limited holiday time and weekend working required by those working in hairdressing or mechanics. Although FE workloads are demanding, teachers and assessors can often choose between working full-time, part-time, evenings or even on a casual, hourly basis. This leaves significant scope for flexibility in working hours.

FE also provides a stable career, and this is a real selling point in the post-pandemic world. Those tempted to move into FE need to know that the risk they are taking is a relatively safe one.