Become a further education teacher

Teaching in further education means working with older students, usually aged 16 and over. With further education teacher training, you'd be qualified to teach in sixth forms, colleges and training centres.

If that sounds like your idea of a rewarding career, we offer two routes into further education teaching – depending on your current qualifications and whether or not you're currently working as a teacher or in further education. We even provide distance learning versions of our further education teacher training, enabling you to study online in your own time.

When you graduate with your further education PGCE or CertEd, you'll have a recognised teaching qualification as a teacher in further education. You'll also have expert knowledge gained by working closely with course teachers and work-based subject mentors.

One or two-year Further Education and Skills PGCE

PGCE stands for Postgraduate Certificate in Education. If you already hold a UK undergraduate degree or equivalent, you can apply for our PGCE in Further Education and Skills (rated as 'Good' by Ofsted in 2024), studying for one year full-time or for two years part-time.

The way you'll study our Further Education and Skills PGCE depends on whether or not you're already working or teaching in a college, sixth form, training centre or other further education institution.

If you're new to teaching and the sector, you can study full-time over one year on our university campus or online via distance learning. Either way, you'll still do your further education teaching placements in person, with full support from a subject mentor.

Or, if you're already working or teaching in further education, you can choose to study on a part-time basis over two years either online via distance learning or at one of our partner colleges (Havant and South Downs College, Chichester College, Isle of Wight College or South Hampshire College Group - Eastleigh College).

You'll teach at least 100 hours and do 75 hours of non-teaching per year in your current role, and be supported by a subject mentor.

One or two-year Further Education and Skills CertEd

If you don't yet have an undergraduate degree, this Certificate in Further Education and Skills (CertEd) is for you. You'll just need a level 3 qualification and several years' professional experience in a relevant subject area. 

Our further education CertEd (which was rated 'Outstanding' by Ofsted) works in the same way as our PGCE - the way you'll study comes down to whether or not you're already working or teaching in further education.

If you already have a role at a college, sixth form or training centre, you'll study on over two years part-time either online via distance learning or at one of our partner colleges (Havant and South Downs College, Chichester College, Isle of Wight College or South Hampshire College Group - Eastleigh College).

If not, you'll study for one year full-time on campus or online via distance learning. If you study online, you'll still attend your further education teaching placements in person.