Further Education Lecturing and Tutoring

For further education lecturers and tutors, working with young adults and mature students with more developed minds brings a different set of personal and professional challenges to working with children.

Lecturing and tutoring in further education can be a hugely rewarding career, especially for those who teach a subject that they are particularly passionate about. Meeting and working with students with similar passions and fervour can only enhance one's working life, and is a fantastic career choice for anyone who is organised, enthusiastic about what they do, has a flair for communication and is well educated in the school of life!

What Sort of Work Will I Do?

As a further education tutor and lecturer, you will have a variety of roles and responsibilities, each of which will require a different Skill Set. Organisation is a key skill, as you will be preparing and planning lesson plans, lectures and seminars for your students, as well as undertaking different administrative tasks that include the continued monitoring and assessment of each student. It's also worth bearing in mind that, in many cases, you'll be following a set course curriculum with specific aims – further education lecturers and tutors most commonly teach degree and vocational courses, professional diplomas and HNCs and HNDs.

Excellent communication is also essential, as you will be required to tutor on a one-on-one basis with students of all different ages, backgrounds and abilities. Further education tutors can work with 16-19 year olds and adult learners, with some tutors working in schools with children that undertake vocational qualifications from the age of 14 upwards. Tutors can also be involved in aspects of pastoral care for their students. Lecturing involves speaking to students en masse, so public speaking skills should be well developed and engaging.

Enthusiasm is a much-needed attribute, as further education tutors are often actively involved in the contribution and formation of new college courses and new course material. Because there are times when you will be representing your educational institution, you'll also be a first point of contact for many prospective students, so your enthusiasm and dedication should shine through.

What are the Entry Requirements?

To develop a career as a further education lecturer and tutor, you'll obviously need to be well qualified in the subject that you wish to tutor or lecture in. Currently, it is most common for prospective further education lecturers to be qualified to degree level in their subject, but in some rare cases suitable and relevant experience may be acceptable.

In England and Wales, full-time further education tutors also need to have a teaching qualification and obtain QTFE (Qualified Teacher in Further Education). If you have already gained QTS (Qualified Teaching Status), you will be able to work as a further education tutor or lecturer. However, if you don't have any teaching qualifications, you'll need to either obtain a PGCE that specialises in post-compulsory (over 16) education or further education, or study for a university Certificate in Education (Cert Ed).

If you only wish to work part-time, you'll need to have obtained at least a stage one or stage two teaching certificate. A common example of this is a City & Guilds certificate, which can be gained through studying part-time. It is also generally assumed that further education tutors and lecturers will be competent in their IT skills.

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Career Development Prospects

A further education lecturer or tutor cannot use their QTFE to work in schools as a teacher – the shortage of Teachers at present has seen some lecturers working in schools as instructors. Under the advanced practitioner scheme, there are many opportunities to also increase your skill base as a lecturer, which can result in rewards for excellence in the classroom.

Working as a tutor also has career development prospects in other areas of further education, typically with progression towards head of department, admissions tutor or a management post. Some management roles will require specialist training and qualifications themselves, particularly in the departments of finance and human resources, so additional qualifications such as relevant NVQ may be applicable.

Fractional lecturers can also supplement their income with additional private tutoring or exam assessment marking, with some further education lecturers utilising their skills as consultants.

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What Salary Can I Expect to Achieve?

The salary you receive can vary depending on the educational institution that you work for, its location and the qualifications you hold, but the average salary for a further education lecturer tends to work out at between £16,000 to just over £20,000 for a 37 hour week (not including lesson preparation, meetings and work assessments).

Senior lecturers can expect in excess of £30,000, and fractional lecturers can be contracted on an hourly basis, typically earning anywhere up to £20 an hour, depending on experience, qualifications and location. Obviously, these rates are set as a guideline only, and the difference between salaries between one college and another can vary greatly.

Training to be a Teacher

For more information about becoming a teacher or a lecturer, read our Q&A Train to Teach, Where do I Start?

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