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Lecturing Pay Scales

atete

Hi,

I am considering applying for an assistant lecturer position where the pay scale is approx. 35k - 49k. I am currently working in the private sector on a salary that exceeds the upper end of the scale. This is a career move that I have been planning to pursue for a while now and do expect to take somewhat of a cut but not sure if it would be a case of going down to the 35k (which would be financially impossible) or if there is flexibility based on experience / qualifications etc.?

If anyone could shed a bit of light on this, I would be v grateful...

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toadfly

I have no idea but are you taking into consideration the extremely long holidays? The job you are doing now, would you be able to take something similiar on for the summer months which would boost your wage?

Stheno

Moved from work and jobs, new forum charter applies.
OP you may get more information here.

atete

Thank you for your response, toadfly. Yes, I absolutely will be taking all of this into account. I want to just get an idea as to the flexibility of the scale. At the end of the day, I have to be practical and consider my financial committments and I cannot rely on the possibility of summer work.

cruizer101

toadfly wrote: »

I have no idea but are you taking into consideration the extremely long holidays? The job you are doing now, would you be able to take something similiar on for the summer months which would boost your wage?

Lecturers aren't necessarily like teachers getting the summer break off, a lot of lecturers primary job is research which continues throughout the summer along with assisting full time graduate students (masters, phd).

Maybe OP is just a lecturing role but I would be surprised if they were off for summer tbh.

atete

Thank you, cruizer101 - I would suspect there is quite a lot of research attached and my considerations are in no way dependent on whether I get the summer off, as toadfly is suggesting.

It would be so great if posts were kepts to the questions - i.e. on flexibility of scale, as opposed to speculation of what I have / have not considered.

Thanks again

atete

Thank you, cruizer101 - I would suspect there is quite a lot of research attached and my considerations are in no way dependent on whether I get the summer off, as toadfly is suggesting.

It would be so great if posts were kepts to the question - i.e. on flexibility of scale, as opposed to speculation of what I have / have not considered.

Thanks again

Stheno

Is it a public sector role?

IF so generally new entrants start at the bottom of the scale, and incrementally rise each year or two.

atete

Thank you for your response, Stheno.

Tom Dunne

Stheno wrote: »

Is it a public sector role?

IF so generally new entrants start at the bottom of the scale, and incrementally rise each year or two.

In ITs, they are.

And to the best of my knowledge a new entrant does start at the bottom of the scale, no negotiating. That's why they have so much trouble getting staff.

atete

In ITs they are....?

That was my worry - it is a pity as it may result in less experienced/qualified candidates accepting, potentially lowering the education standards. Either way, it is good to know.

Tom Dunne

atete wrote: »

In ITs they are....?

That was my worry - it is a pity as it may result in less experienced/qualified candidates accepting, potentially lowering the education standards. Either way, it is good to know.

As one head of school said to me, is a guy with a mortgage and a family going to give up a 70,000 Euro job to halve his pay? Very unlikely, even with the generous holidays and relatively lower stress levels. So it is as you say, the less experienced/qualified applying.

bduffy

Tom Dunne wrote: »

In ITs, they are.

And to the best of my knowledge a new entrant does start at the bottom of the scale, no negotiating. That's why they have so much trouble getting staff.

This is the current situation, but if the applicant is well qualified then they have the opportunity to apply to get on the Lecturer scale. The L scale then starts at €53k, however there is a limited number of positions available and schools have fixed budgets so it's not a formality.
Advantages at an interview would include completing the Dip. In 3rd Level Teaching and some good research contacts in the sector. Partnering with an established research group or centre and sharing postgraduate supervision helps also.
Having a second or third language helps if the School needs overseas partnering and could lead to extra responsibilities and chances of promotion.

Tom Dunne

bduffy wrote: »

This is the current situation, but if the applicant is well qualified then they have the opportunity to apply to get on the Lecturer scale.

Just a question on that - how does it work. Would one have to be hired on the entry level of the AL scale and then apply? Or is that something that could be negotiated at the time of hiring?

bduffy

Initially you'd be hired at AL and then apply for the L position on the basis of experience. Usually it's 3 years combined AL service or significant experience in a specialist role. Again, the more in the CV then the better the chances.

Geuze

My experience of one IoT:

summer hols in contract, start either 20th or 25th June, back 1st Sept
looks bad to be in college during that period, TUI advise you that you are not required in college during that period

Staff move from AL to L, automatically, subject to:

having a Masters
time served on AL scale

In university, in the case of accountancy lecturers, where accountants would earn high wages, I have heard of recruitment direct to the higher scale, i.e. starting at 55k approx

Geuze

Assistant Lecturer scale in IoT

Lecturers in service before 1/1/11 Lecturers in service after 1/1/11 - revised scale under Haddington Road Agreement
€39,715 €35,743
€41,320 €37,926
€42,960 €39,715
€44,256 €41,320
€45,568 €42,960
€46,878 €44,256
€48,190 €45,568
€49,487 €46,878

€48,190

€49,487

Charles Babbage

toadfly wrote: »

I have no idea but are you taking into consideration the extremely long holidays? The job you are doing now, would you be able to take something similiar on for the summer months which would boost your wage?

The term Assistant Lecturer would suggest that this is in a university and not an IOT, so no more holidays than anyone else.

Geuze

Note that AL is a scale/term used in IoTs.

I haven't heard it used in Unis???

Also note that the OP's first post seems to refer to the start and end points on the AL scale in the IoTs.

EDIT: Okay, I see that UCD do use the term Assistant Lecturer, fair enough.

bduffy

Important question for OP is the length of time this contract is for. In some cases there are permanent posts advertised but these are a bit rare. I know of some applicants on €60k dropping down to the AL scale with the expectation that the progression and summer break compensates.

Saying that, while working as an AL, I worked one summer for 2 days a week giving induction training to new employees of an MNC on overtime (but this was an exception).

dingding

I think there may be scope for existing public servants to get their service counted for increments.

It might be worth ringing the HR dept of your nearest IoT and ask them directly.

Charles Babbage

Geuze wrote: »

Note that AL is a scale/term used in IoTs.

I haven't heard it used in Unis???

Also note that the OP's first post seems to refer to the start and end points on the AL scale in the IoTs.

EDIT: Okay, I see that UCD do use the term Assistant Lecturer, fair enough.

Actually, I am a bit out of date in this respect, the term is more widely used nowadays in IOTs.