Work&Teach aims to bring the worlds of education and work tangibly closer together, to the benefit of both. It is an innovative social enterprise to encourage and enable enterprising individuals from industry, business and the professions to be paid to teach in local schools and colleges part-time. This will bring a different type of person into the classroom, on a flexible basis, contextualising the curriculum and delivering cutting-edge practical skills. Committed participants pass on their knowledge and expertise whilst still continuing in their chosen career, developing their own potential in the process.

After some initial research and planning, Work&Teach has reached a stage where the model needs to be finalised, tested and scaled up. This will involve an objective assessment of the business opportunity, the development of a workable model, business planning, piloting, evaluation then sustainable funding.

Why is Work&Teach needed?

Here are just some of the issues that Work&Teach tackles:

• Schools and colleges need better links with businesses and a more varied workforce that has up-to-date practical skills.
• Employers need greater involvement in education delivery and a more flexible workforce with better soft skills.
• Learners need to learn the latest employability, enterprise and practical skills in a more engaging way, from people with practical experience.
• Would-be teachers need more rewarding opportunities to try teaching, without completely losing their current job or salary.
• Sector stakeholders need to build stronger and more sustainable links between work and education.

 

How does Work&Teach work?

The final 'model' for Work&Teach is still being developed but it is currently designed as follows. If you have any thoughts or comments about this approach please get in touch.

Work&Teach will help select and place qualified individuals in schools and colleges, to teach at least four hours a week over one academic year (the minimum commitment is 150hrs in total). Following an initial training bootcamp in teaching skills and child protection, participants will be paired with a local school or college in need of their skills.

These experienced participants will be able to bring cutting edge practical and employability skills from their working lives into the classroom, where they in turn will develop their teaching and mentoring skills. Their employers will gain a more flexible and more skilled workforce, invoicing the host school or college (at unqualified teacher pay rates) for any time the individual spends teaching. This will reduce the impact on participant salary, pension or other benefits.

Work&Teach participants are intended to be an additional, skilled resource that schools and colleges can draw on. They are not a threat to existing qualified teachers.

Work&Teach is intended to be a universal scheme, suitable for all schools and colleges, learner groups, subjects and qualifications.

However, it is likely that the emphasis on practical learning and employability will make 14-19 the most common target learner group. Similarly, although participants could be selected to teach any subject it is likely that those with a more practical element including business, STEM and enterprise subjects will be most popular. Vocational-focused qualifications are also expected to be taught more often through Work&Teach, including Diplomas, BTECs and GCSEs or A-levels with a high vocational component. Similarly, although Work&Teach can work in any of the thirteen specialist school types idenfitied by SSAT it is more likely that it will place participants in the first six of the below categories:

1.   Applied learning                   8.   Arts

2.   Business & enterprise           9.   Humanities

3.   Engineering                         10.  Languages

4.   Technology                          11.  Music

5.   Maths & computing              12.  Rural dimension

6.   Science                               13.  SEN

7.   Sports

At the end of their minimum one year involvement, participants will have the choice of returning to work full-time with their employer or continuing to teach part-time. They could even explore full-time teaching and different teacher training routes. Whatever they choose, they will join a growing group of Work&Teach Alumni who are perfectly placed to broker long-lasting, meaningful relationships between education and the workplace.