Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (FE and Skills Sector) (PgCE)

University Centre South Essex

The Professional graduate Certificate in Education (Further Education and Skills Sector) is a Level 6 teaching qualification which has a teaching/training practice requirement.

This course is ideal if you work, or want to work as a teacher or trainer in the further education and skills sector; if you are in or want to start a career in a teaching or training role; if you are a teacher or trainer who is seeking career progression in your area of work. This programme is a recognised Full Teacher Training qualification, eligible for QTLS application on completion.

From September 2024, as part of our teacher training programme you will be required to complete a minimum of 250hrs in placement, including at least 150hrs of teaching practice across the duration of the course during which you have full responsibility for planning, delivering and assessing specific area/s of the institution’s provision. The placement should be within a local school teaching 14-plus students, a local sixth-form teaching post-16 learners or a local college teaching post-16 or adult learners.

Alongside organisation of a placement and to support your studies, you will also be required to ensure you have a mentor in the workplace who is a qualified teacher/lecturer (i.e. PgCE) and where possible is a subject specialist in the same area as the trainee teacher. Where the mentor is not a subject specialist the trainee teacher will require the support of a named subject coach.

What Next...

After completion of the course you will be able to apply for Qualified Teacher: Learning and Skills status (QTLS). QTLS is equivalent to but distinct from QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) for ages 5-11 or 11-18 in schools.