Becoming a Lecturer

William Gates

I'm looking for a bit of advice in relation to how one becomes a lecturer, particularly in an I.T. (I have a particular regional I.T. in mind).

I have a B.A. Hons, an MSc in eCommerce and have a QFA (as well as some other Banking related qualifications). In addition I have 10 years Banking (lending) experience.

So the ideal role I would like to get into would be lecturing on business analysis.

Could anybody tell me the likelihood of getting such a position and what I should be doing now to be in a better position to obtain such a job in the future. Any info on expected salary would also be appreciated.

Part of my motivation for considering a career change is that I would like more free time, currently I'm out of the house 8am-8pm five days a week with 29 days annual leave. What kind of hours and annual leave could I expect as a full time lecturer?

Red Alert

Are you thinking about the ITs or the Universities? I have experience in the University sector and recently moved to an IoT - the Institutes of Technology are advertising for a good few positions at the moment.

William Gates

I was thinking I.T.'s as I have a particular regional I.T. in mind.

William Gates

Bump.

robp

William Gates wrote: »

I'm looking for a bit of advice in relation to how one becomes a lecturer, particularly in an I.T. (I have a particular regional I.T. in mind).

I have a B.A. Hons, an MSc in eCommerce and have a QFA (as well as some other Banking related qualifications). In addition I have 10 years Banking (lending) experience.

So the ideal role I would like to get into would be lecturing on business analysis.

Could anybody tell me the likelihood of getting such a position and what I should be doing now to be in a better position to obtain such a job in the future. Any info on expected salary would also be appreciated.

Part of my motivation for considering a career change is that I would like more free time, currently I'm out of the house 8am-8pm five days a week with 29 days annual leave. What kind of hours and annual leave could I expect as a full time lecturer?

I can't really speak for IoTs as I would be much more university orientated myself but university work is a terrible job for free time. The hours can be really unforgiving. A big consumer of time is the commitment to research and publication and then research student supervision. This work is much less in IoTs. Yet it may increase in some IoTs that are veering towards technological university status.

smcgiff

Salary would be 34.7k starting off.

Re the IT you have in mind did you check to see if they require your area of expertise? Check out their vacancy list. If it's not there they are not recruiting.

If you restrict yourself to one IT you are going to make entry into a very tough career even more difficult.

Tom Dunne

I started a thread a long time ago about this, have a search.

The bottom line is that there is no such thing as a permanent job in lecturing. There are many jobs out there, but the vast majority of them are temporary and pro-rata. In other words, you do a couple of hours here and there, certainly not enough to pay the mortgage.

I am since the year 2000 looking for a position in an IoT, nothing to be found apart from the occasional contract, hence why I am now abroad and have been for the past four years.

The best way to start is to retain your current day job and start lecturing evening classes. It can be tough (usually 6-10, 2-3 nights a week), but the experience will get your foot in the door.

steelycool

You might be interested in getting a qualification to teach, a bit like the H. Dip but for teaching at third level. This is becoming the norm now for new entrants to lecturing (depending on the institution). It would certainly make your life a lot easier and give you confidence in the classroom. It can be very daunting when you start. Here is one in UCD http://www.ucd.ie/teaching/academicdevelopment/teachingqualificationoverview/

smcgiff

steelycool wrote: »

You might be interested in getting a qualification to teach, a bit like the H. Dip but for teaching at third level. This is becoming the norm now for new entrants to lecturing (depending on the institution). It would certainly make your life a lot easier and give you confidence in the classroom. It can be very daunting when you start. Here is one in UCD http://www.ucd.ie/teaching/academicdevelopment/teachingqualificationoverview/

Looks like you already need to be lecturing level 7 or above already to take this course.

William Gates

smcgiff wrote: »

Salary would be 34.7k starting off.

Re the IT you have in mind did you check to see if they require your area of expertise? Check out their vacancy list. If it's not there they are not recruiting.

If you restrict yourself to one IT you are going to make entry into a very tough career even more difficult.

€34.7k?......wow, I hadn't realised it would be that low.....how many hours per week would that be based on?

Geuze

http://www.tui.ie/welcome-to-our-website/third-level-salary-scales-.2167.html


IoT salary scales.

AL scale starts at 39,715, but 10% less for new entrants to the PS, so 35,743 now.


Hours are here:

http://www.tui.ie/welcome-to-our-website/third-level-lecturing-hours-.2195.html

16-20 pw.

Geuze

http://www.nuigalway.ie/financial_accounting/services/pay-scales-2011/


NUI Galway post-2011 scales.

You will need a Ph.D to get a job.

Starts at 36,230.

newfrontier

Pretty poor pay for a phd ...and only a temporary contract..it is a pity things have reached this stage..I wonder when things will improve.

newfrontier

if you click on that link above and the cleaners payscale is only slightly below ..is that the value we place on our educators...:eek:

William Gates

Geuze wrote: »

http://www.tui.ie/welcome-to-our-website/third-level-salary-scales-.2167.html


IoT salary scales.

AL scale starts at 39,715, but 10% less for new entrants to the PS, so 35,743 now.


Hours are here:

http://www.tui.ie/welcome-to-our-website/third-level-lecturing-hours-.2195.html

16-20 pw.

When you put it like that it's not too bad I guess, I work 3 times that many hours a week at the moment so on an hourly rate that probably works out more than I'm currently on.

robp

Geuze wrote: »

http://www.tui.ie/welcome-to-our-website/third-level-salary-scales-.2167.html



Hours are here:

http://www.tui.ie/welcome-to-our-website/third-level-lecturing-hours-.2195.html

16-20 pw.

Isn't this just teaching hours though? I wonder what are the real number of average working hours.

teacherhead

William Gates wrote: »

When you put it like that it's not too bad I guess, I work 3 times that many hours a week at the moment so on an hourly rate that probably works out more than I'm currently on.

20 hours per week seems like nothing but that is just teaching time. Add preparation, exams etc and your hours will grow fairly quickly I'd imagine.

It's the same at second level - divide number of hours teaching by salary and you think you'll be minted.

You will probably be expected to be in the college from 9-6 most days regardless of teaching hours. That's 45 hours already.

Whistlejacket

20 teaching hours a week (lectures and/or practicals and tutorials) sounds handy until you experience the massive amount of preparation associated with those contact hours, especially in your first year.

You need to write the notes/slides for every class, make them available to the students (online or print them off), deliver them, set assignments and continuous assessments, correct them, give feedback, write and correct exam papers etc. I reckon I worked about 70-80 hours per week for the first year and I have watched all my colleagues who started after me have a similar experience. We all help each other out but there is no getting away from the fact it takes a lot of work to get each module written and delivered. I now average 45-60 hours per week, depending on the time of year.

The work is really rewarding. It also gets easier once you have been through a module once and it becomes a question of keeping it up to date, rather than frantically throwing the tracks in front of the on rushing train every night!

By all means consider becoming an IoT lecturer if you enjoy teaching and working with young people. I love it and I have no regrets about leaving industry, despite the cut in pay, but I would not recommend it as a necessarily handy, better paid or less time consuming alternative to a job in the private sector.