Further education, often shortened to FE, is the part of education that sits beyond school but is open to almost everyone. Colleges teach 16 to 18 year olds taking their next qualifications, adults retraining for a new career, apprentices learning a trade, and people coming back to study after years away. It is a varied, practical and welcoming part of the education world, and it offers a wide range of jobs.
If you have skills, knowledge or experience from another industry, FE can be a brilliant place to pass it on. You do not always need a teaching background to begin. This guide explains the main roles in a college, what they involve, and how to find your way in.
What further education colleges do
Colleges fill the gap between school and work or university. A single college might offer A levels, vocational qualifications such as those that prepare you for a particular trade, basic skills in English and maths, apprenticeship training, and courses for adults brushing up their skills or learning something new.
Because colleges teach such a mix of people and subjects, they need a mix of staff. There is room for subject experts, tradespeople, support workers and administrators. Many people are drawn to FE because it values real-world experience and gives you the chance to change lives at any age.
Teaching and training roles
These are the staff at the heart of a college, working directly with learners.
Lecturer or college tutor
A lecturer plans and delivers courses in their subject, marks work, and supports students through their qualifications. Subjects span everything from business and health to construction, hair and beauty, motor mechanics and computing. In many practical subjects, deep industry experience matters as much as academic qualifications. A plumber, chef or nurse can become a lecturer and teach the next generation their craft.
Assessor
An assessor judges whether a learner has reached the standard for their qualification, often by watching them work and reviewing what they produce. This role is common in vocational and apprenticeship training, and it suits experienced people from a trade or profession who want to support newcomers.
Trainer and apprenticeship coach
Trainers and coaches work closely with apprentices, often visiting them in the workplace, checking on progress and helping them succeed. Strong knowledge of an industry and a knack for encouraging people are the key ingredients.
Do you need a teaching qualification?
This is the question most people ask, and the honest answer is: not always to begin with.
Many colleges are happy to take on people with strong industry experience and then support them to gain a teaching qualification while they work. A common path is to start teaching, sometimes part-time or as cover, and then study for a recognised FE teaching qualification alongside the job.
What matters most depends on the subject. For a practical, vocational area, your trade experience and skills come first. For an academic subject, relevant qualifications in that subject matter more. Either way, you will usually be expected to work towards a teaching qualification over time if you do not already have one. Always check what a particular college asks for, as requirements vary.
Support and professional roles in a college
Colleges are large organisations, and teaching staff are only part of the picture. There are many other jobs that keep a college running.
- Learning support assistant, helping students who need extra support, including those with additional needs
- Technician, looking after specialist equipment in areas like science, engineering, IT or catering
- Student services and admissions staff, guiding learners from their first enquiry through to enrolment
- Careers and welfare advisers, supporting students with their next steps and their wellbeing
- Administration, finance, marketing and HR staff, the same professional roles you find in any large employer
- Site, catering and facilities staff, keeping the campus running and the building cared for
Many of these roles do not need teaching experience at all. If you have skills from another sector, such as admin, finance or IT, they often transfer straight across.
Who thrives in further education
FE attracts people who like variety and who care about giving others a chance. You might teach a nervous adult returning to learning in the morning and a confident apprentice in the afternoon. Patience, encouragement and the ability to explain things clearly go a long way.
People often come into FE later in their working lives, bringing years of experience from another job. That experience is an asset, not a drawback. Students respond well to staff who have done the real thing and can tell them what work is actually like.
Pay, hours and conditions
Pay in further education is set by individual colleges rather than by a single national system, so it varies from place to place and by role and experience. Colleges advertise the salary or pay range in each job advert, so you can see exactly what is on offer before you apply.
Hours vary too. Some teaching roles follow the college timetable, while support and professional roles may run all year round. Part-time and sessional work is common, especially for people teaching a few hours a week alongside another job, which can be a flexible way to get started.
Safeguarding and background checks
Colleges teach young people aged 16 and over, as well as adults, so safeguarding is an important part of the job. Safeguarding means keeping learners safe and looking out for their welfare.
As with schools, you will usually need an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check, known as an enhanced DBS, before you start. The college arranges this and normally covers the cost. You will also be asked for references and proof of your right to work in the UK. This is the standard process and nothing to worry about.
How to get into the sector
If you are keen to work in a college, here are some practical steps.
- Think about what you can offer, whether that is a trade, a profession, academic knowledge or office skills
- Look for part-time or sessional teaching to get a foot in the door, as colleges often need cover and evening tutors
- Be open to gaining a teaching qualification on the job if you do not have one
- Highlight your real-world experience, since in FE it is often exactly what students need
Where to find jobs
- GovJobs, where you can browse current college and education roles
- Individual college websites, which list their own vacancies
- Local and regional job boards covering the area you want to work in
When you apply, match your application to the advert. For a teaching role, show both your subject knowledge and your enthusiasm for helping people learn. For a support or professional role, focus on the skills the job needs and any experience working with young people or the public.
A note before you apply
This article gives general information about working in further education. It is not formal careers advice, and entry requirements, qualifications and pay differ from one college to another, so always check what each employer asks for.
When you are ready to take the next step, you can browse current further education and college vacancies on GovJobs. To apply for a particular role, follow the link to the college's own advert, where you will find the full details and the closing date.
