We put the questions to Alex Tranter, electrician and founder of Trades Education Recruitment, as she details her quest to increase the number of candidates that are moving from the coalface of the electrical industry and into teaching.
Q. How and why did you first get into teaching?
I had come back from fitting Photovoltaic cells in Tanzania and it was winter in Wales (where I was based) and just so cold that I could barely feel my fingers to second fix.
At that point I also had a new apprentice and was frustrated that they weren’t learning much at college, so I started to look at ways to help them on-site. I found an on-site assessor role in the West Midlands and the department head called me for a chat. He explained that I could go on-site and teach as well as assess.
This made a lot of sense to me as I wanted to bring the general quality in our industry up as well as help people to get their full qualifications. Some of the guys I’d been in college with during my electrical apprenticeship were starting families and still hadn’t completed their AM2 – it just seemed like they would never get there without the right people in place to help push them.
Q. What is it that you enjoy about teaching and was it a big learning curve?
I enjoy having a class that actually learn and can put the principles together. As long as you take time to help them understand things, when it all comes together at testing and fault finding in their final year it is a lovely thing to see.
I’d originally thought that on-site assessing would be a gentle step into teaching, however there were still lots of different computer systems and policies that I had no idea about. I found it to be a massive learning curve and, although the college team were supportive, they only had so much time available to help. This meant a lot of learning by trial and error on my part.
Over time I became a qualified assessor and I’m now an Internal Quality Assurance (IQA) for lots of different colleges where I support tutors and assessors. One of my aims is to help make the process a little less scary for others who might be considering coming off the tools full time in the same way that I did.
Q. Tell us more about Trades Education Recruitment and what it is designed to do.
We’re a recruitment business that focuses on the placement of electrical tutors and IQAs at college and training providers, supporting individuals to gain the skills required to be successful in securing a new career in teaching and helping them through that initial transition.
One of the reasons that I believe we’re in a more advantageous position than other companies is that I have a deeper understanding of what colleges need (based on the staff they already have) and how to interpret an individual’s electrical qualifications and experiences to help them get the best wage and package for their level of on-site qualifications – not just teaching or assessing.
That’s one myth that’s important to dispel – you DO NOT need to be a qualified teacher beforehand. Colleges will fund all of that for you and give you paid time to do your assignments (as well as lots of support). What they can’t recreate or teach is 20 years’ experience on the tools – that’s invaluable!
One of the other things that my experience allows me to do is provide individuals with an understanding of what is expected of them in terms of handling and managing a class and general expected behaviours. This can be very daunting when you’ve come off the tools so I tell individuals that they can call at any point and I will have an answer that will hopefully help them feel reassured.
Q. Why do you think it is that more electricians don’t take the route into teaching?
I think some are nervous that they don’t know enough – not necessarily about electrics but maybe the theory behind it or the way to teach. If you’re a time served electrician with the right qualifications behind you, the class will sit up and listen.
On the surface it may seem as if you’re earning less by teaching than being on the tools, but it is a permanent contract with a lot of paid annual leave in most colleges. You’re also open to a teacher’s pension and all of the associated health packages and sick pay you would expect.
Additionally, there is free training available so that you can become a qualified teacher and assessor. I’ve known some people go as far as a full degree, or stay as the first rung of qualified teacher, but it won’t hold your career back whichever route you chose.
Q. What benefits do you think the electrical industry will achieve from more ‘time served’ sparkies getting into teaching?
I undertook my apprenticeship with electricians who had so many years of experience that no amount reading or studying can replace that. I found them all to be glad to pass on their knowledge and I would do my best to take everything in.
Now imagine if the tutors in colleges across the country also had this level of understanding and experience to give genuine real life examples to the text books. In a text book I can say what you should do in any situation. We all know that real life isn’t like this and it is always good to have some examples of what you could do. This stops it being purely academic and starts to give real depth of understanding.
I also think that as time served electricians we care about our industry more. We want it to be well respected as this ensures that the next generation of electricians are adequately trained. It’s simply not enough to have the skills or knowledge without the experience.
Q. What would you recommend as a next step for a reader that might be interested in finding out more about teaching?
Colleges will need a clear enhanced DBS check, which they’ll complete for you, but if you have any unspent convictions this may be something to consider before applying. You can apply to colleges directly or through an agency like ourselves, but please don’t be drawn into paying any fees for this as the college will generally pay the agency direct.
Also look for REC membership, as I know several individuals who’ve been burned by agencies who aren’t registered putting them forward for lower wages or tying them into contracts without anyone to complain to.
I’m always happy to have a chat with interested parties, so anyone looking for more advice please email me at: info@tradeseducationrecruitment.co.uk
Get more details about Trades Education Recruitment and its Services here
