Professional status for forgotten teachers

In a national campaign launched today, those training the UKís staff in the workplace will have the opportunity to boost their teaching credentials and achieve professional teaching status.

The new changes by Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) mean the 27,200 learning practitioners responsible for teaching in a work environment will be able to benefit from being trained themselves to a standard that allows them to achieve a professional status in teaching. They will also become members of their own dedicated professional body, the Institute for Learning (IfL).

Now widely considered to be best practice, the new status will see those who deliver work based training benefit from thirty hours of continuing professional development a year and recognition with the IfL. New recruits to the training profession are also being encouraged to take new qualifications designed to prepare them for teaching in the lifelong learning sector.

Many people are still not taking up the opportunity to achieve professional teaching status, either because they are not aware of it or are not sure what they need to do. This is despite the fact that many of the organisations they work for being under a contractual obligation to provide the scheme in order to qualify for funding by the Learning Skills Council (LSC).

Launching the campaign, David Hunter, chief executive from LLUK, commented:

ìWe want to make sure that trainers are aware of the changes so that they and the organisations they work for can benefit. Weíre aware that not everyone is taking advantage of the changes. Weíre launching a campaign to ensure that organisations and individual trainers are aware of how they are affected, and what they need to do. We also want them to know that there is help available through LLUKís Information and Advice Service.î

The changes have come about as the Government looks to increase the skills of the UKís workforce, which means developing the skills of the people responsible for teaching or training them. Training and further education helps 5 million people a year across the UK boost their skills and career prospects, and it is the Governmentís ambition that by 2010, every teacher, trainer, tutor and instructor will be qualified or working towards a recognised qualification ñ including those working within work based learning.

David Hunter further commented:

For the United Kingdom to have a world-class workforce it must have the worldís best trainers, so itís vital that trainers across the UK seize this opportunity to bolster their teaching credentials.î

Lifelong Learning UK is working in partnership with the Department for Innovations, Universities and Skills to raise awareness of the new professional status and qualifications.

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