You don’t need a degree to teach!

20 March 2019

Many people are surprised to discover, you don’t actually need a degree to become a teacher. There are many pathways into teaching and if you choose to study at the University Centre at Salford City College, there are also many benefits for aspiring teachers.

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO I NEED TO BECOME A TEACHER?

Do I need a degree to teach? The answer is no. All you need is a level 3 qualification in a Vocational subject (equivalent to an A-level) in order to progress onto on Certificate in Education (Cert Ed) with the University Centre at Salford City College. After completing your Cert Ed you’ll be a qualified 14+ teacher meaning you can teach any students from the age of 14 upwards. If you are qualified in a Vocational trade, including plumbing, bricklaying, hairdressing or beauty, and want to go into teaching, the Cert Ed qualification is the answer. So it doesn’t matter whether or not you are an experienced professional, but not qualified to degree level, or if you have simply completed your Vocational qualifications up to level 3 and would now like to go straight into your teaching qualification instead of getting a full degree first. That said, if you have your degree already and want to teach at Further or Higher Education level, the Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is the route for you!

WHY TEACHING?

You may have just left education, having completed your degree, and have decided that teaching is the career path for you. On the other hand, you may have been in a career for many years and are now starting to consider a change in direction? Whatever your reason, there are many advantages to a career in teaching within a Further or Higher Education setting (14+). As a teacher, you are in a position to influence, inspire and mould the next generation of professionals. Teaching is one of the most rewarding careers and is perfect for anyone who wants to share their passion and make a difference to the lives of others. No two days are the same as a teacher. You have the flexibility to make the rules in your own classroom and continually make positive changes to your own work life. Everyone is all too familiar with the holidays and ideal working hours of teaching staff. Not only are your summers long and days potentially shorter than most other professionals, but if you have children yourself, this is the perfect career to ensure you have plenty of quality time to spend with your own families.

“The demand for teachers nationally is rising.” – Educations Business UK

However, despite the many benefits of teaching, the increase in the number of students nationally has meant there is a shortage of teaching professionals across the country, which also means the opportunities for those with teaching qualifications is far greater. Many specific subjects are also experiencing serious shortages of practised or qualified professionals in their areas. These include science, health and social care, modern languages, construction and the trades, and media, to name but a few.

WHY THE UNIVERSITY CENTRE AT SALFORD CITY COLLEGE?

The University Centre at Salford City College has an unrivalled reputation for teacher training progression, either into related employment or onto higher study, including full degrees for Cert Ed graduates and Masters Degrees for PGCE graduates. Over 90% of students have consistently gone into employment. In fact, in the last academic year, 93% of Cert Ed and PGCE students went on to work in the field. Some students have even been offered full-time employment at the University Centre or at one of the centre’s partner colleges. Being partnered with five Further Education colleges within the local area is another huge benefit of studying at the University Centre. Our students are able to get the first-hand teaching experience they need to be successful in the profession easily, with so many opportunities at the colleges. Each college specialises in different vocations and subjects, so wherever your expertise lies, one of the colleges will have the relevant subject for you to gain experience in. All classes at the University Centre are small and tutoring is one-on-one and personal, meaning you get the very best tuition possible. Plus, at the University Centre, you’ll have the opportunity to mix with a range of different people. We accept people from different backgrounds, professions and of different ages, which means you’ll get the opportunity to meet and learn from a range of people.  In the last academic year, we had students with a range of specialisms such as philosophy and religion, maths, science, ICT, beauty,  media make-up, dance, sport, animal and equine and even a singer-songwriter. If you would like to find out more about our teacher qualifications or to find out if you are eligible for one of our courses, please contact the HE Admissions Team on 0161 631 5000 or by emailing HE.Admissions@salfordcc.ac.uk.