Much has been written about the predicament that exists across our education landscape, with schools, colleges, and training providers suffering from a shortage of high-quality teaching staff.

With funding tight and unlikely to loosen at any time soon, how can we make teaching, and specifically teaching in FE an attractive proposition?

Maybe, just maybe, Further Pathways to FE has some of the answers.

This programme is offering a solution to the recruitment crisis and is already showing positive outcomes in terms of enticing talent into the sector.

Work placements

In March, Cognition Education embarked on delivering a programme called Further Pathways to FE (FP2FE) on behalf of the Education and Training Foundation (ETF).

The programmes aim was to raise the profile of teaching within the student population, by offering 120 final year university students (or those studying for a postgraduate qualification) a 40-hour work placement in an FE setting.

So far, the programme has been a resounding success, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from providers and students, to such an extent that the programme has been extended, and another 100-plus university students will be placed with providers this term.

Having had the great privilege of leading on this programme, I have recently reflected on why the FP2FE programme has been such a success, particularly at a time when the shortage of teachers in FE (and indeed the whole education sector) is one of, if not the single most pressing issue that needs addressing.

What is FP2FE?

The scheme works by targeting students across all academic areas at a point when they will be close to making career choices and exploring what might be possible.

They are matched to a provider, based on geographic location, following which they complete a 40-hour placement which gives them a holistic, but realistic experience of what working and specifically teaching in FE is like. A small bursary payment is made to providers and students for taking part in the programme.

This may seem like simplicity itself, and in many ways, I would agree that this is one of the elements of why the programme has been such a success.

Key ingredients

However, this programme is also successful because a number of essential key ingredients come together to create a perfect mix, and these include:

• Enlisting the support of the universities in promoting the programme to final year undergraduates and to post-graduates.
• Engaging with students at the right point in time, when they are actively thinking about available career choices and are open to exploring different options.
• Ensuring that the programme is offered to students across all academic disciplines, thereby encouraging students who may never have thought of teaching as an option.
• Ensuring that students are well informed about the programme.
• Placing students with providers who have offered an all-embracing introduction to the FE sector.

‘Defied the odds’

At this point I need to say that without the providers the programme could not happen, and it is without doubt down to their commitment, hard work and support that the programme has enjoyed the success it has to date.

I can honestly say, as someone who has long championed the FE sector, and worked both with and for providers, I never fail to be impressed by the dedication and hard work of the staff who continue to work tirelessly for the sector and the learners they serve.

At a time when the sector is facing unprecedented turbulence, FP2FE has defied the odds and is not only bringing a breath of fresh air to providers through access to this group of young talented individuals.

But it is also creating a buzz within the graduate population and firmly placing the FE sector on the map as a career choice for students, many of whom had never before considered a career in teaching.

‘The proof is in the pudding’

As I begin to go through the process of re-engaging with providers for phase two, it is becoming more apparent just how positive an impact the programme has already had.

As the saying goes, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and just about every single provider (in fact all bar one) who participated in the programme last term, are eager to be involved again.

I will round this up by leaving you with one statistic from the first phase of the programme. 85 per cent of participants stated that following the completion of their placement, they would consider teaching in a college or FE provider (an increase from 44 per cent prior to the placement), with students also indicating a significant increase in their knowledge of FE post placement.

Applying this to the population of 139 students, this results in 118 students who would now consider a career in teaching in FE.

Julia Richards the programme lead of the Further Pathways to FE (FP2FE) programme. You can read the full article here. To find out more about the programme contact Julia Richards on jrichards@cognitioneducation.com