Experience in child care, although not a pre-requisite, will be helpful when applying for a childcare lecturer role. Although in theory, FE teachers do not need formal teaching qualifications, many employers will ask for a degree or else an appropriate professional qualification at a minimum of Level 3.
A common route into the role is one outlined by Claire Burgess, who explains that her “experience as a nanny and in nursery settings helps bring [her] teaching to life”. She trained at Norland College in Bath before working as an early years lecturer and she now works as an early years consultant at the college [2].
A course run by a lecturer in childcare is ideal for students working or wishing to work in early years education and care. In terms of the qualifications taught by a childcare lecturer, these are multiple in number, and encompass courses focusing on youth, childhood and community studies to early childhood practice.
Being a childcare lecturer will involve practical, hands-on elements. For example, students at North Hertfordshire College staged a day of activities for children, including a performance of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which had an overwhelmingly positive response from the children that took part [3]. Thinking outside the box is vital when it comes to delivering a childcare course.
The Department for Education contends that a level 2 qualification that meets the requirements is enough for an individual to count in early years foundation stage (EYFS) staff/child ratios.
CACHE is widely recognised as the UK’s leading provider of early years education and its courses range between level 2 and level 5.
The childcare lecturer role may require that you have previously taught childcare to Level 3. Holding a degree in EYFS is one well-traveled route into the childcare lecturer role, especially if you choose to study a higher degree.
Relevant and significant industry experience may be enough to persuade an FE institution to take a punt on you, however.
Christine Turay, a healthcare lecturer with experience as both a nursery nurse and early years lecturer, stresses that working with younger people means taking on additional responsibilities: “Sometimes you have to be a social worker, youth worker and everything rolled into one”. [7]
Childcare course leader is a natural progression from the childcare lecturer role. As an example, a course leader position at Leeds City College comes with a starting salary of £29,948 before progressing to £31,771 plus £1,000 per annum [8].
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/after-gcses/find-career-ideas/explore-jobs/job-profile/further-education-lecturer
https://www.norland.ac.uk/college/careers/early-years-teacher
https://www.thecomet.net/news/north-herts-college-standalone-farm-1-6040772
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/early-years-qualifications-finder#overview
https://www.cache.org.uk/our-qualifications-and-services/early-years-educator
https://www.pearson.com/uk/learners/fe-and-college-students/career-choices/education-and-research/childcare/childcare-with-a-degree.html
https://www.aocjobs.com/career-advice/day-in-the-life-of-a-healthcare-lecturer
