Recruitment and Retention in the Post-16 Learning and Skills Sector
Recruitment and Retention in the Post-16 Learning and Skills Sector
Recruitment and Retention in the Post-16 Learning and Skills Sector
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• difficulty recruit<strong>in</strong>g younger staff – <strong>the</strong>re is a perception by staffthat fur<strong>the</strong>r education colleges are hav<strong>in</strong>g difficulty recruit<strong>in</strong>gyounger teacher/tra<strong>in</strong>ers. This is believed to be hav<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> effect ofcreat<strong>in</strong>g a ‘top heavy’ staff<strong>in</strong>g structure <strong>in</strong> terms of <strong>the</strong> age profile.Particular concerns among younger staff are that <strong>the</strong>y will not beable to progress as quickly as <strong>the</strong>y desire. This is illustrated by <strong>the</strong>follow<strong>in</strong>g comment, “people are look<strong>in</strong>g at com<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to teach<strong>in</strong>g asa recruitment option <strong>and</strong> someth<strong>in</strong>g to do <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir retirement years.We need younger blood <strong>in</strong> our department [Fur<strong>the</strong>r Education]”;• lack of suitable applicants to vacancies – concern has beenexpressed across <strong>the</strong> sector about <strong>the</strong> lack of applicants tovacancies with both <strong>the</strong> right personality <strong>and</strong> level of teach<strong>in</strong>gqualifications <strong>and</strong> experience. There is a perception that applicantsdo not have <strong>the</strong> necessary teach<strong>in</strong>g qualifications or experience tobe deemed as suitable c<strong>and</strong>idates for job vacancies, “we hadpeople who we felt could cope but didn’t have <strong>the</strong> necessaryqualifications” [Fur<strong>the</strong>r Education];• status – <strong>the</strong> status of <strong>the</strong> sector, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> particular <strong>the</strong> (negative)perception of fur<strong>the</strong>r education compared to schools has beenhighlighted as an issue that is likely to impact on recruitment -affect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> potential number of applicants to vacancies, “from anoutsider’s po<strong>in</strong>t of view <strong>the</strong>y th<strong>in</strong>k that staff are maligned,disrespected, underpaid <strong>and</strong> overworked” [Fur<strong>the</strong>r Education].5.32 Qualitative work focuss<strong>in</strong>g specifically on maths <strong>and</strong> science teachersfound that factors caus<strong>in</strong>g recruitment problems <strong>in</strong> maths <strong>and</strong> science<strong>in</strong>clude; fewer than expected c<strong>and</strong>idates apply<strong>in</strong>g for posts, a lack of‘quality’ c<strong>and</strong>idates apply<strong>in</strong>g for vacancies, competition from <strong>the</strong> schoolsector <strong>and</strong> difficulty <strong>in</strong> recruit<strong>in</strong>g part-time staff.5.33 Some perspectives from respondents which characterise <strong>the</strong>se views<strong>in</strong>clude:• “we have difficulty recruit<strong>in</strong>g part-time staff <strong>in</strong> science” [Fur<strong>the</strong>rEducation];• “with<strong>in</strong> biology it is hard to get teachers <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> sector, with fewapplications per post <strong>and</strong> most applicants lack<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> drive orteach<strong>in</strong>g ability” [Fur<strong>the</strong>r Education];• “we have issues <strong>in</strong> recruit<strong>in</strong>g maths teachers, with few c<strong>and</strong>idatesapply<strong>in</strong>g for vacancies. Those that do, tend not to have <strong>the</strong> rightskills” [Fur<strong>the</strong>r Education];• “we have problems <strong>in</strong> maths <strong>and</strong> science recruitment becausegraduates go <strong>in</strong>to schools” [Fur<strong>the</strong>r Education];47