TRAINING
PLUGGING THE SKILLS GAP Dave Love, Assistant Director of Apprenticeships & STEM at Warrington & Vale Royal College, looks at how further education can help plug the skills gap in the electrical trade.
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An additional 15,000 fully qualified electricians will be required by 2024
rior to teaching in Further Education (FE), Dave had a successful career in the construction industry as an electrician, where he ran his own company. Why would a successful electrician move into part time teaching at a Further Education college? The simple answer is the opportunity to give back. Dave says he remembers how his teachers inspired him to do his best – it was because of them that he was able to enter the construction industry and eventually set up his own electrical installation business. Now he says that he is the one sharing his skills and helping to prepare the next generation with their careers. It was when Dave returned to college to further his professional skills as an electrician that he was approached to become an FE teacher. He thought back to his school days and remembered the inspirational teachers that taught him and says it was an easy decision. He thought about all the apprentices he had
the fortune to work with and help train in the trade, and how amazing it felt watching them grow and develop into great electricians. Dave says it also helped that his wife is a teacher and he sees the joy she gets from preparing her students for their next steps in the world. Dave decided to try teaching Electrical Installation part-time at Warrington & Vale Royal College whilst he ran his electrical business. He says it was so simple to get started – he was able to start earning and teaching straight away using the skills he had obtained from years working in the industry. He received funded teacher training on the job and had a mentor at the college to support him. After a year, he switched into teaching at the college full-time. There are so many different subjects and courses in FE relating to the construction industry, from welding to electrical and mechanical engineering. If you want to use the experience you have already gained throughout your career to inspire the next generation, then Dave says he would encourage you to see if there is an FE teaching job near you to match your skills.
“There are opportunities on offer for industry professionals to pass on their knowledge and experience to the next generation of learners in their field”
In fact, the Department for Education recently launched a national campaign calling for more skilled workers to change lives without changing careers by teaching part-time in FE alongside their current role. There are opportunities on offer for industry professionals to pass on their knowledge and experience to the next generation of learners in their field, with a particular focus on key sectors including Construction, Engineering and Manufacturing, Legal, Finance and Accounting, Digital/IT, and Health and Social Care. Dave says he loves supporting learners to achieve their qualifications. This is particularly important to him because at the moment there is a shortage of qualified electricians in the UK. A report by the Electrotechnical Skills Partnership estimated that an additional 15,000 fully qualified electricians will be required by 2024, thanks to predicted growth in the construction industry. As well as this, almost half (43%) of vacancies in skilled trades are due to skills shortages; 13% of that is in the electrical trade. Dave says he wants to help fill that gap through his contribution to FE teaching and give students real life examples from his time in the industry – helping them to link their knowledge to the real working world. He says it is incredible to see the reaction of his students – they really value the real life stories and experience Dave can share from his own work in electrical installation. There is nothing as rewarding as seeing the ‘penny drop’ when you’ve helped them grasp a new skill. Dave is not the only one who thinks FE teaching is an appealing career choice. Research from the Department for Education in February 2022 found that 65% of people enjoy helping others through passing on their knowledge, experience and skills. Over a third (34%) of people say they would like to pass on their skills to others in their field of work, and more than a quarter (29%) of people want to help the next generation. Dave says that it’s brilliant to see that desire to help young learners exists across industries. For those considering going into FE teaching, Dave says just do it! It is an extremely rewarding job. If you have a passion for your profession, you will make a great FE teacher. The transition process is really simple, and there are full time and part time opportunities available. You will be inspiring the next generation of workers in your profession and ensuring your industry continues to have the qualified people it desperately needs. UK Government, teach-in-further-education.campaign.gov.uk
18 | May 2022
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26/04/2022 16:09
