Postgraduate training to teach in further education and the lifelong learning sector
Training to teach in Further Education and Lifelong Learning
Lecturers in Further education teach students over the age of 16, some 14 to 16-year-olds studying work-related subjects and adults in the lifelong learning sector. This is usually delivered in colleges, community centres, prisons and the armed forces.
What prior qualifications will I need?
You will require:
- at least an A level or NVQ Level 3 in the subject you want to teach but for academic subjects a degree is required.
- Level 2 (GCSE or equivalent) English and Maths (and in some cases ICT)
What are the types of courses available?
- Level 5 Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS) (also known as the Professional Graduate Certificate in Education or Graduate Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector - GDTLLS - or PGCE Post Compulsory Education - PGCE PCE - or PGCE FE).
This qualification will give you full Qualified Teacher in the Lifelong Learning Sector (QTLS) status. As a QTLS teacher you will have a full range of teaching responsibilities, including being qualified to design and evaluated your own teaching materials
- Below this is the Level 3/4 Certificate in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector (CTLLS) which will qualify you as an associate teacher, mainly delivering prepared course work.
Funding for your course
In 2012-13 a choice from two levels of fee award are available to those undertaking the first year of an eligible further education sector-specific teacher training qualification in England.
- Fee award of £1,000 available for up to 10,000 applicants training to teach in the FE and skills sector and following a higher education institution (HEI)-validated qualification;
- Fee award of £1,500 available for up to 1,000 applicants training as subject-specialists to teach basic maths/numeracy and English/literacy (including functional skills) and following an HEI-validated subject-specific qualification to teach mathematics(numeracy) or English (literacy).
Application is through your initial teacher education provider after you enrol. Early application is advised to secure an award on a first-come, first-served basis. If your application is successful it will be paid directly to your training provider who will use it to offset the fees charged for your qualification.
Finding training courses
There is no central admissions service for training courses to teach in the lifelong learning sector.
The majority of Further Education colleges in the UK generally run the DTLLS or equivalent, often in conjunction with a local university or consortium. Contact your local FE college or university to find out details of the courses they offer, including the University of Derby.
You can also search for different courses by both type and location on the Talent (Training Adult Literacy, ESOL and Adult Literacy) course database.
Applications for some courses are via the Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR), although this is currently the minority of courses.
