Discuss Working as a plumbing lecture in the Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board area at PlumbersForums.net
A
Aire
Sounds like a nightmare, training one apprentice is bad enough, Imagine a class full of teenagers who can barely work up the energy to breathe.
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ived heard pay is bad and most still plumb in there spare time, i know a few quite after a few months to go back on the tools
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I’ve lectured in college, a lot want you to have a formal qualification in teaching these days. There is quite a lot in the background, planning stuff etc. And engineering colleges often have either corporate or international students come over during the summer so it’s not like a school teacher necessarily who gets 6 weeks off. A lot of the kids don’t really want to be there and managing behaviour is quite hard. It can be rewarding to pass on your experience.
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if you could lecture to adults and not kids who will constantly disrupt things I would like to think I would like to teach . I wouldn’t have the patience with the kids.
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The classroom type guys who wore a shirt were on about £30k, the guys teaching workshop stuff were on a bit less. The guy leading each discipline was on £45-50k. The guys I waited with seemed to do about 3 days a week of work and a couple of days tinkering with personal projects. Comes with a decent pension which most jobs don’t these days.
I only dipped in and out of it to teach specific stuff. I think the craft guys who wanted to be on the tools would have been hard work if you were the one tasked with teaching them something dry.
As John says would be good if you could stick to adults.
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I don’t want to burst your bubble but..........
The reality is you must gain a formal teaching qualification (in your own time). The contact (actual teaching)hours may seem short at 6hrs a day.
However, the administration, preparation, marking etc. can be endless.
Usually with no help or support. Teaching ‘full time’ students who have little or no interest in plumbing. Then having to meeting success targets, set my management, to qualify for funding.
All overseen by Awarding Bodies who are also vying for funding.
If this appeals to you go for it.
The reality is you must gain a formal teaching qualification (in your own time). The contact (actual teaching)hours may seem short at 6hrs a day.
However, the administration, preparation, marking etc. can be endless.
Usually with no help or support. Teaching ‘full time’ students who have little or no interest in plumbing. Then having to meeting success targets, set my management, to qualify for funding.
All overseen by Awarding Bodies who are also vying for funding.
If this appeals to you go for it.
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Wasn’t when I did instrument stuff, same level same department. Job add here says advantage if you have one or willing to work towards.
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Interesting from @Tea-Break , when I was at plumbing school , ok a lot of years ago we had two lecturers that I am 100% sure had no teaching quals in-fact one was still running a business. As far as I can remember they were only part time but I cant see how that would make any difference.
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(Long Post Alert!)
I am in a position where I am being asked to step up from my job as Plumbing Workshop Technician to plumbing lecturer. One of our two full-time lecturers is now on a phased retirement plan and they've got me in their sights to replace him. The thing is I do not want it!
Firstly it is true one can start without any teaching qualifications but they will want me to do a Certificate in Education which is no mean feat with a heck of a lot of self study in my own time. Before doing that you will need to do a Level 3 Award in Education and Training and also Level 3 in Training and Quality Assurance (TAQA 3). I already have my Level 3 Award in T & E so I can perform sickness cover and also teach the schools links program. I am happy at that level as far as teaching goes. I am also now part way through my TAQA 3 but I am doing this voluntarily just so I can help out with assessment in the workshops and take some pressure off the lecturers who treat me very well so I'm happy to help.
The money goes up if I become a lecturer and so do the holidays but the thing is my pay increase would be "only" another 5 grand a year and that's not enough for me to abandon my Technician's role which I love and would not be able to go back to as it is a highly sought after position here and it would be quickly filled behind me. The holidays are much better for teaching staff but again, I'm already on 26 days paid leave per annum which is enough for me. Second to that, I also am on the tools for the Estates Management team during workshop downtime and academic holidays which I do enjoy as a change of pace and type of work and that would end if I became a lecturer.
Finally, I have spent the last seven years listening to the lecturers complain about workload, scrutiny, meetings, problem students, constant performance monitoring and management. That has put me right off. I see what they have to do and don't want it!
I know this post has been specific to my position but hope it is useful to read about it from a perspective right on the edge of a teaching role. A role I do not want for the extra hassle involved. We are fortunate here that wages are high (high cost of living though) and the Technicians at this trade school are paid at the "going rate" for a qualified plumber working for a company on this island. They want qualified plumber as Technicians and not just storemen so they pay the going rate. It all looks like too much hassle when I am already very happy doing what I do.
Of course, your experience and personality will be different but it's not for me and I hope I've given good reason why.
Sorry to ramble for so long!
I am in a position where I am being asked to step up from my job as Plumbing Workshop Technician to plumbing lecturer. One of our two full-time lecturers is now on a phased retirement plan and they've got me in their sights to replace him. The thing is I do not want it!
Firstly it is true one can start without any teaching qualifications but they will want me to do a Certificate in Education which is no mean feat with a heck of a lot of self study in my own time. Before doing that you will need to do a Level 3 Award in Education and Training and also Level 3 in Training and Quality Assurance (TAQA 3). I already have my Level 3 Award in T & E so I can perform sickness cover and also teach the schools links program. I am happy at that level as far as teaching goes. I am also now part way through my TAQA 3 but I am doing this voluntarily just so I can help out with assessment in the workshops and take some pressure off the lecturers who treat me very well so I'm happy to help.
The money goes up if I become a lecturer and so do the holidays but the thing is my pay increase would be "only" another 5 grand a year and that's not enough for me to abandon my Technician's role which I love and would not be able to go back to as it is a highly sought after position here and it would be quickly filled behind me. The holidays are much better for teaching staff but again, I'm already on 26 days paid leave per annum which is enough for me. Second to that, I also am on the tools for the Estates Management team during workshop downtime and academic holidays which I do enjoy as a change of pace and type of work and that would end if I became a lecturer.
Finally, I have spent the last seven years listening to the lecturers complain about workload, scrutiny, meetings, problem students, constant performance monitoring and management. That has put me right off. I see what they have to do and don't want it!
I know this post has been specific to my position but hope it is useful to read about it from a perspective right on the edge of a teaching role. A role I do not want for the extra hassle involved. We are fortunate here that wages are high (high cost of living though) and the Technicians at this trade school are paid at the "going rate" for a qualified plumber working for a company on this island. They want qualified plumber as Technicians and not just storemen so they pay the going rate. It all looks like too much hassle when I am already very happy doing what I do.
Of course, your experience and personality will be different but it's not for me and I hope I've given good reason why.
Sorry to ramble for so long!
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The Teaching Qualifications is mandatory now (OFSTED requirement),
although you can teach while training.
On the other hand the actual trade qualification requirements have dropped. From Level 3 (Advanced Craft) to Level 2 (Craft)..!!
The average salary is 30k.
F.E. Colleges are no longer run by local authorities, they are now businesses having to prove they qualify for government funding.
This involves complex criteria, hence as in any business they are trying
to cut costs and maximise efficiency. This has and will impact on pay and conditions for staff.
Unfortunately, as the older generation of staff retire then the past standards and expectations retire with them.
I am not politically minded. However, I do believe Healthcare and Education. Should not be run for profit.
although you can teach while training.
On the other hand the actual trade qualification requirements have dropped. From Level 3 (Advanced Craft) to Level 2 (Craft)..!!
The average salary is 30k.
F.E. Colleges are no longer run by local authorities, they are now businesses having to prove they qualify for government funding.
This involves complex criteria, hence as in any business they are trying
to cut costs and maximise efficiency. This has and will impact on pay and conditions for staff.
Unfortunately, as the older generation of staff retire then the past standards and expectations retire with them.
I am not politically minded. However, I do believe Healthcare and Education. Should not be run for profit.
The pay said 24k to 32K. Would depend on what side of the scale that was on.
I am not one, but teaching is a passion and if you don’t have that passion, it is probably not for you.
From my perspective, the educational qualifications now required to teach / assess a subject are not insignificant and are generally at a higher level that the trade qualification required. In essence, an understanding and knowledge of eduction practice is valued more highly than the trade skills you are teaching. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions on that.
Assuming that you want to teach, you must be able to pass an enhanced DBS check to teach under 18’s and most establishments for over 18’s will undertake one.
If you cannot clear the above there is ( in my view) very little point in progressing qualifications.
The basic qualification is a TQUK Level 3 Certificate in Vocational Achievement. In essence that is essay style answers to a number of questions on assessment process and then taking two learners through a basic assessment. If you put your mind and energy to it, it will take a month of intensive input.
The next qualification ( required for State funded colleges and schools) is a Certificate in Education ( Level 4). This is a 1 year full time or 2 year year part time course. I have not done it ( unlike the above) so cannot comment on the intensity of study required.
However, none of the above have any plumbing / heating / gas knowledge requirement it is all about delivering written assignments on assessment, learning and teaching methods. That can be a very alien experience for people who’s interest is in the practical aspect of transferring skills to learners.
Hope this helps - from my perspective it is a passion. The financial rewards don’t really reflect the personal commitment that the prospective teacher has to put in to be fully qualified.
Having said that, if you have the passion go for it. If you don’t want the hassle of studying for further qualifications consider being a Mentor - all the fun and none of the hassle.
From my perspective, the educational qualifications now required to teach / assess a subject are not insignificant and are generally at a higher level that the trade qualification required. In essence, an understanding and knowledge of eduction practice is valued more highly than the trade skills you are teaching. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions on that.
Assuming that you want to teach, you must be able to pass an enhanced DBS check to teach under 18’s and most establishments for over 18’s will undertake one.
If you cannot clear the above there is ( in my view) very little point in progressing qualifications.
The basic qualification is a TQUK Level 3 Certificate in Vocational Achievement. In essence that is essay style answers to a number of questions on assessment process and then taking two learners through a basic assessment. If you put your mind and energy to it, it will take a month of intensive input.
The next qualification ( required for State funded colleges and schools) is a Certificate in Education ( Level 4). This is a 1 year full time or 2 year year part time course. I have not done it ( unlike the above) so cannot comment on the intensity of study required.
However, none of the above have any plumbing / heating / gas knowledge requirement it is all about delivering written assignments on assessment, learning and teaching methods. That can be a very alien experience for people who’s interest is in the practical aspect of transferring skills to learners.
Hope this helps - from my perspective it is a passion. The financial rewards don’t really reflect the personal commitment that the prospective teacher has to put in to be fully qualified.
Having said that, if you have the passion go for it. If you don’t want the hassle of studying for further qualifications consider being a Mentor - all the fun and none of the hassle.
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My teacher training at a local FE college (where I was teaching at the time) was a joke, for one it was taught by people who couldn't teach & second, It seemed to me that the theory of teaching keeps changing as one method is tried & then rejected, another comes into vogue, & so in rolls on.
The fact is teaching people is simple enough if as Brambles states you have a Passion for both the subject & passing on that (your) knowledge to others, of course like anything else the skills need to be homed but I learnt more in a one day new teachers survival session than I did in two years of sage 1&2 as it was then.
It is very rewarding mind, to see young apprentices grow & flourish to become very talented trades persons, often running their own companies, & in some small way you played your part is a great feeling.
The problem is good teaching by qualified & very experienced trades people is just not allowed in FE colleges any more. There are just a hand full of colleges left who have managed to keep hold of an experience teacher & provide quality training but the vast amount are no fit for purpose.
The fact is teaching people is simple enough if as Brambles states you have a Passion for both the subject & passing on that (your) knowledge to others, of course like anything else the skills need to be homed but I learnt more in a one day new teachers survival session than I did in two years of sage 1&2 as it was then.
It is very rewarding mind, to see young apprentices grow & flourish to become very talented trades persons, often running their own companies, & in some small way you played your part is a great feeling.
The problem is good teaching by qualified & very experienced trades people is just not allowed in FE colleges any more. There are just a hand full of colleges left who have managed to keep hold of an experience teacher & provide quality training but the vast amount are no fit for purpose.
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I would say that it sounds ok. Something maybe once the body really starts to suffer being on the tools. Pay sounds ok. All the guys at college I go to for resits are all ex GS plumbers who got tired of the stress of this job. They do look bored though and probably have pressure on them that I don't see.
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That was a fantastic post! To follow on a little on the subject I have quoted from you, I think I can give a little input. Although I hold a different teaching qualification to the one you mentioned (things are often done slightly differently here in Guernsey in comparison with the UK) the principles of education will be the same.
The teacher training focuses on a few main areas at level 3 and goes more in depth at level 4 as one would expect.
The main areas, all relating to the student, are:
Initial Assessment e.g. Finding out a learner's current knowledge before they start, their level of experience if any, their learning style or preference (Auditory, visual, practical hands on) their ability levels, their expectations for the course or qualification, what will be expected of them, ground rules, where they see themselves in future, that kind of thing.
Formative Assessment e.g. As a student is working through a task, how they are managing, any gaps in knowledge needed to be filled to complete the task, how they are coping, do they need more support, what they might need to improve or focus on to achieve and using your peers for formative assessment and feedback.
Summative Assessment e.g. Looking at the finished article, marking, feedback, areas of strength and weakness "uncovered" by the task being completed, resubmissions where the agreed/expected standard was not met, praise, what went right, what went wrong (feedback) and progression.
The teacher training also focuses on various teaching methods for example, demonstration, question and answer, handouts/online resource links, competition, assignments, research tasks.
You will be expected to have a good understanding of these methods, how and when to deploy them, their advantages and limitations, how students of different types and abilities might react to or benefit from the various methods and justifying why you chose those methods.
Then there is all the stuff about equality and diversity, how you will tailor a course to the individual and their special needs if any. Nobody must be excluded from learning because of these things, all within reason of course. For example if the job/course entails climbing around scaffolds and wind turbines a wheelchair user could not be reasonably accommodated but every effort must be made, again within "good reason" with regards to cost and practicalities.
There is also a lot of focus on lesson planning for group activities, individual activities, tailoring lessons to suit individuals, risk assessment, how and why you will use various methods and when. You must state objectives and desired learner outcomes in your planning and how you will achieve that using your methods.
Finally just like plumbing there are a lot of education specific terms and language used which you need to get to grips with to get by but that is all part of the progression and training in becoming a teacher.
As you can see, there is nothing plumbing trade specific in there. It is all about methods of teaching. It means that - up to a point - one teacher can teach another's subject or at least transition more smoothly. Educating people is most certainly a trade in its own right. The subjects change and the individual methods change but overall teaching is done within a framework that is transferable between subjects.
I hope this helps those to understand a bit more about the subject of teaching. I'd like to finish by saying that before I undertook my Level 3 Award in Education and Training I had no idea about any of this. I finished the course with nothing but the utmost respect for teachers and what they do to get there.
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Just FYI we are also looking for teachers.
www.plumbersforums.net
Would look good on a CV saying you're a forum mentor with the UKs largest plumbing advice outlet.
But aside of that, makes you feel warm and fussy inside.
PlumbersForums.net looking for Forum Mentors to help Trainees Pass Their Grades
We are currently looking for forum mentors to help Trainees with their written sides of their training and tests. And to generally have a safe out of public view where they can ask anything at all and it can be answered by factual professional people from within the industry. Perfect for...
www.plumbersforums.net
Would look good on a CV saying you're a forum mentor with the UKs largest plumbing advice outlet.
But aside of that, makes you feel warm and fussy inside.
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Maybe in the Channel islands they still have a good education system but here is the reality in an English FE college - you will be plonked in front of a class of up to 32 learners with not enough time to prepare let alone assess
they will often struggle with basic English & Maths, as the entry requirement of C & above is ignored. Having been failed by their secondary schools, the colleges are required to pick up the pieces & get them to that minimum standard. Don't even ask about the Prevent program which also includes such delights as - British Values, Equality & Diversity.
Can you imagine a workshop with 30+ of the little darlings trying to solder or pull a set, how much time would you be ably to spend with them ?? The max should be around 12 IMHO & even then you will be working hard, what happens if you are not getting round to see them all ?
Same in the class rooms they will want you to pay lip service to all the Eduspeak crap mentioned & you will spend lots of time providing data for the Offcom inspections but with qualifications that are not fit for purpose where there is not enough time to get through the subject matter and you maybe get a reality check on what it is like to teach Plumbing & Heating.
All that said I still love it. (just not in an FE college where you are not allowed to)
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All you have said is true and one of the main reasons the full-time lecturer I work with came to Guernsey. He was previously teaching in the UK after 20 years of site work before that.
The money is much better here too. A lecturer starting from the beginning with no qualifications starts on around £45,000 and it tops out around £60,000 for a program leader. Technicians top out at £40,000. You've got to remember as good as those wages sound, we are comparable to London in house prices, rents and general cost of living. Plus we are a captive market for the air and sea links so travelling away is also very expensive. Still a good living to be made though.
We also "pick up the pieces" of the so called school failures but in this FE college we do have the support for these students in place. Any student who manages to get a job is able to join the course. If they do not have grade C or above in GCSE Maths and English they do an additional class every week to gain those qualifications and get their practical maths and writing skills up to standard.
Class sizes are maximum 12 people but 6 to 8 are more usual. We have plenty of time to teach and prepare properly, especially as the lecturer has my support backed my qualifications.
The college and the apprenticeship scheme the government runs is not for profit, it is solely for the betterment of the community. The only cost to the apprentice or employer is yearly registration which is around £40 I think. The employer is paid an annual grant to make it more attractive to take apprentices on. That way the student can be paid their normal rate for their day at college without loss to the employer.
Long may it continue this way.
The money is much better here too. A lecturer starting from the beginning with no qualifications starts on around £45,000 and it tops out around £60,000 for a program leader. Technicians top out at £40,000. You've got to remember as good as those wages sound, we are comparable to London in house prices, rents and general cost of living. Plus we are a captive market for the air and sea links so travelling away is also very expensive. Still a good living to be made though.
We also "pick up the pieces" of the so called school failures but in this FE college we do have the support for these students in place. Any student who manages to get a job is able to join the course. If they do not have grade C or above in GCSE Maths and English they do an additional class every week to gain those qualifications and get their practical maths and writing skills up to standard.
Class sizes are maximum 12 people but 6 to 8 are more usual. We have plenty of time to teach and prepare properly, especially as the lecturer has my support backed my qualifications.
The college and the apprenticeship scheme the government runs is not for profit, it is solely for the betterment of the community. The only cost to the apprentice or employer is yearly registration which is around £40 I think. The employer is paid an annual grant to make it more attractive to take apprentices on. That way the student can be paid their normal rate for their day at college without loss to the employer.
Long may it continue this way.
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Sounds idilic, the way it should be.
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We have the occasional fight with the politicians about it all, with the dreaded "Why do we do it like this? They don't do it like that in the UK!" heard from time to time. Fortunately for us some of our politicians went through the apprenticeship scheme themselves and know the value of it and yet more of them are able to see the value of the scheme. It has been running since the 1960s, works very well so there's no need to change it.
That does not stop overzealous newcomers from questioning the expense but so far we have had little interference, apart from when last year it was announced the scheme would be extended to other areas like retail and a host of other non-traditional apprenticeship areas but without increasing the funding.
The employers were to have their grants massively reduced but the industry went bananas, threatened to stop hiring/sending apprentices or would just train them themselves. Thankfully the government saw sense and "delayed" any changes to the grant so all is OK.....for now.
I get the feeling funding issues will rear their ugly head again in future but we're alright for the foreseeable.
That does not stop overzealous newcomers from questioning the expense but so far we have had little interference, apart from when last year it was announced the scheme would be extended to other areas like retail and a host of other non-traditional apprenticeship areas but without increasing the funding.
The employers were to have their grants massively reduced but the industry went bananas, threatened to stop hiring/sending apprentices or would just train them themselves. Thankfully the government saw sense and "delayed" any changes to the grant so all is OK.....for now.
I get the feeling funding issues will rear their ugly head again in future but we're alright for the foreseeable.
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