What will I do as a Lecturer?

The role of a lecturer in further education is an exciting, varied and dynamic one, which whilst sometimes challenging can be especially rewarding. When you are appointed to the role of a lecturer in the post-16 sector, it will be because you have expertise in a particular technical or vocational skill subject area, or possibly an academic discipline if you are to teach on A-Level programmes.

This expertise may be needed to teach a variety of student groups each week. You will be allocated a timetable which may remain constant for one term and possibly change the next term depending on the type of programme(s) that you are teaching on. Therefore, it is likely that you will be teaching on a number of different courses or programmes of study (full-time programmes) and possibly at different levels to different age groups each day and each week.

Every course or programme of study will have a curriculum and a scheme of work that needs to be covered over the length of the programme (usually one or two academic years). As a lecturer you may work with a group of fellow lecturers to deliver the scheme of work to a particular student group; each of you will teach that part of the scheme of work that you are expert in. In turn, you will be expected to assess your students’ work and/or prepare them for sitting any external tests or examinations. Ultimately it will be your responsibility to do your best to ensure that all of your learners achieve their final qualifications.

The number of ‘contact’ hours (i.e. the hours that you actually spend with a group of students) that a lecturer will be allocated per academic year varies from organisation to organisation but it could be around 30 hours a week. On top of this you will be expected to prepare for future lessons, mark and assess work and carry out any other appropriate administrative duties as required by your employer. You will also be asked to be present at any open events and parents evenings organised by your college or ITP, which often take place in the evenings or weekends.

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