Start your Further Education job search
Now that you’ve decided a career in Further Education is for you and you’ve updated your CV accordingly, it will be time to start looking for college teaching jobs to apply for.
On this page, you’ll find plenty of practical advice for where to begin your job search as well as tips on applying and gaining any necessary prior experience. Once you’ve equipped yourself with this knowledge, you can then move onto step 4: preparing for interviews for Further Education jobs.
Where to find Further Education teaching jobs
There are several ways you can begin your Further Education teaching job search. Here, we take you through the most accessible options:
Look at job boards
A lot of FE job vacancies are advertised online, making them very easy to find. It’s worth exploring a few job boards to broaden your search. As well as generic websites, you may want to prioritise searching for roles on specialist FE job boards such as the Association of Colleges Jobs and FE Jobs websites.
Both allow you to filter your search – whether that’s by teaching level, contract type, subject or location. This makes it a lot easier to narrow down your options and find roles suitable for your needs and abilities.
You can find more job boards on the page Search for a Teaching Job.
Consider teaching experience opportunities before you apply
If you have a particular college in mind for your FE job, you may want to gain a little experience or even just a feel for how your role might work before you commit to a contract.
Some colleges will offer special training days or even taster sessions for those hoping to become members of their teaching faculty. You could check their websites or follow them on social media to get the latest news on any upcoming experience days.
You may also want to get in touch to ask about volunteering work, shadowing opportunities, of even offer to deliver a guest lecture in your specialism. This can give prospective teachers the chance to enjoy a taste of what it would be like to work in a specific college.
Search for teaching jobs in FE
Find a teaching job near you
Search for colleges by location
Tips for how to apply for FE teaching jobs online
Applying for Further Education teaching jobs online doesn’t have to be a long and stressful process. Especially if you follow these four tips:
- Set aside 30-60 minutes per job application. This will ensure you have enough time to thoroughly read through the job role and criteria, and to think about answers to any specific questions on the application form.
- Prepare your documents in advance. Speed up the application process by making sure you have an up-to-date supporting statement and CV ready to send off.
- Have essential information ready. Most colleges are likely to ask you for details about your work history, professional qualifications, criminal record and National Insurance number, so make sure you have all that information to hand.
- Remember every application is different. Not all college teaching job applications will be the same, with many roles and organisations having varying criteria and processes. Bear this in mind when applying and you will set yourself up for success.
Explore funding and training opportunities
There are several options you may want to explore when it comes to funding and training for Further Education and college teaching.
Undertaking a level of teacher training before you begin your job search, whether that’s a PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) or a DET (Diploma in Teaching), can help widen the number of roles you’re able to apply for.
It is possible to find roles which allow you to train as you work, too. You might also be able to secure a teacher training bursary which provides financial support for training if you are unable to afford it yourself (especially if you are leaving an existing profession that is your only source of income). This includes government-funded, tax-free bursaries and scholarships.
Continue your FE teaching journey
You should now have a clearer idea of where to begin your search for college teaching vacancies. So, why not move onto Step 4: How to Prepare for Interviews where you’ll find lots of useful tips for preparing for FE teaching job interviews.