Further Education Tutors/Teachers

27061986a

Hi. I am looking for information on wheter or not there are any differences in relation to tutors/teachers pay in the further education sector? Also any further education teachers out there who trained in the non traditional teacher training; what way did you go about getting your qualifications e.g. hairdressing, beauty therapy, childcare, healthcare etc teachers. Finally NUIM use to have an old course title h dip in adult and community education. Did the Department of Education ever recognise this for the payment of allowances? I would love to hear from any further education teachers out there.

Lapis Luzali

Hi, Im a graduate of the Hdip in further education course in NUIM, to get this qualification I first did a BA(hons) level 8 and then I completed the Hdip in further ed.
This qualification is recognised by the teaching council, is a recognised teaching qualification and with this diploma you would be considered a qualified teacher and would be on the qualified teachers pay scale. Unqualified tutors in FE are on a different pay scale to qualified teachers.
FE teachers are now required by the teaching council to hold a recognised teaching qualification such as a hdip in FE. Although this is the case, you'll often find that in the sector there are many teachers who are not qualified, either they have a degree or masters with no teacher training or they have no qualifications at all. Often these tutors have been employed pre 2013, before regulations where introduced or in many cases, FE colleges and training centers are hiring unqualified teachers despite these new regulations.

This is often due to the fact that anyone can register with the teaching council under FE, as beauty therapists/hairdressers etc are unlikely to hold a third level qualification, for this reason the teaching council have left registration for FE open as a free for all rather than adjust it to allow for registration depending on individual subject teaching requirements.
Theres an overall feeling within the sector that the teaching council undermines the FE sector and this is just one of the many issues associated with it. That said, more often now its becoming common place for teachers to acquire some kind of teacher training or postgraduate degree in education when entering the sector, this means its much more competitive and those who don't have the qualifications are much less likely to get their foot in the door.

As far as im aware youre required to have obtained an undergrad degree before undertaking this course but there may be considerations given to qualified hairdressers/beauty therapists who may not have an undergrad as these courses are considered skilled labor and rarely offer progression to third level within the subject area. Thats something you will have to research yourself or maybe someone else can answer here. Perhaps your local ETB will have the information you require, although I have found that some ETB's, particularly smaller ones, arent up to date with current requirements, perhaps contact NUIM and ask to speak to one of the course staff members. Im aware there is a train the trainer course which many FE tutors have completed but I dont think this is considered a valid training option for new tutors anymore. Other subjects require third level degrees, to teach childcare/health care ect you need to have an undergrad in the subject area before undertaking this course.

Id also like to add that this course was absolutely fantastic, it was an entirely different experience to what id had when completing my undergrad, Michael and his team are second to none, incredibly supportive, always on hand to answer any questions or help out in anyway. Its an intense course, there was a couple of drop outs in the beginning as the work load felt a little overwhelming but its very doable and once you get started you really get through it, its well worth it.
When I started I was very unsure of my ability to teach, thought id made the wrong choice and teaching wasnt for me, by the end of course I was confidently teaching classes, felt like id been doing it for years and when you start seeing the progress your students are making its an amazing feeling. I never would have accomplished this if I hadnt undertaken this course.
I also felt like a new person by the end of it as cheesy as that sounds, the lecturers are amazing at what they do and have developed a course which exceeds expectations. I can confidently say I left that course feeling like a fully trained and competent teacher, I could now walk into any teaching job and feel prepared for any situation. If youre considering this course, I would recommend it 100%.

Maried1

Hello Lapis Luzali
Thanks for all of the above. I have been researching the best way of entering the further education sector for at least a year and it's a difficult area to get your head around. I am interested in teaching healthcare modules as I have a background in nursing and am hoping to do the professional diploma in education (further education) in NUIG. This is after years of regret that I didn't do teaching 20 + years ago. The course is expensive but in saying that I think going forward it will be a necessity. I hope that my experience will be as positive as yours obviously was in NUIM!

27061986a

Maried1 wrote: »

Hello Lapis Luzali
Thanks for all of the above. I have been researching the best way of entering the further education sector for at least a year and it's a difficult area to get your head around. I am interested in teaching healthcare modules as I have a background in nursing and am hoping to do the professional diploma in education (further education) in NUIG. This is after years of regret that I didn't do teaching 20 + years ago. The course is expensive but in saying that I think going forward it will be a necessity. I hope that my experience will be as positive as yours obviously was in NUIM!

Hi I think that nures can do a postdraduate in clinical health sciences education and this may be recognised by the teaching council. Any other nurses out there teaching health modules in further ed sector? Are all new entrants to further ed employed as tutors or are there still teacher positions available?

Lapis Luzali

Maried1 wrote: »

Hello Lapis Luzali
Thanks for all of the above. I have been researching the best way of entering the further education sector for at least a year and it's a difficult area to get your head around. I am interested in teaching healthcare modules as I have a background in nursing and am hoping to do the professional diploma in education (further education) in NUIG. This is after years of regret that I didn't do teaching 20 + years ago. The course is expensive but in saying that I think going forward it will be a necessity. I hope that my experience will be as positive as yours obviously was in NUIM!

Do it, you wont walk into a full time job, that goes for any teaching related area, you have to build up your hours over time but if its what you want then you wont regret it. Im just sorry I wasnt able to do it years ago.

Lapis Luzali

27061986a wrote: »

Hi I think that nures can do a postdraduate in clinical health sciences education and this may be recognised by the teaching council. Any other nurses out there teaching health modules in further ed sector? Are all new entrants to further ed employed as tutors or are there still teacher positions available?

Tutors are unqualified, teachers are qualified. Thats the difference between the two terms. The catch is ETB's can advertise Tutor jobs and whether youre trained or not you will be paid the rate of a tutor which is considerably lower than the qualified teacher rate.
Many of the students on my course had no teaching or tutoring experience before starting the course, others had been working in ETB's for years, its very mixed.
There are teaching jobs out there, the problem is teachers arent being given permanent contracts but it also depends on your subjects among other things.

27061986a

Lapis Luzali wrote: »

Tutors are unqualified, teachers are qualified. Thats the difference between the two terms. The catch is ETB's can advertise Tutor jobs and whether youre trained or not you will be paid the rate of a tutor which is considerably lower than the qualified teacher rate.
Many of the students on my course had no teaching or tutoring experience before starting the course, others had been working in ETB's for years, its very mixed.
There are teaching jobs out there, the problem is teachers arent being given permanent contracts but it also depends on your subjects among other things.

What is the turor pay scale?

hombres

Did you ever do the course. I am also a healthcare tutor .