Teach electrical and electronic engineering

What electrical and electronic engineering covers in further education

Electrical principles, AC/DC machines, power electronics, analogue and digital electronics, PLCs, instrumentation and control, and fault diagnosis on industrial equipment.

Roles you could be considered for

• Electrical/electronic engineering lecturer
• Engineering technician
• Maintenance apprenticeship assessor

What you might teach

• Electrical science and circuit theory
• Electronic circuits and testing
• Motors, drives and control circuits
• PLC programming basics
• Safe isolation and test equipment

Skills from industry that transfer into teaching

• Systematic fault finding
• Using test equipment confidently
• Writing and following safe systems of work

Routes into FE teaching and qualifications

Colleges often look for a relevant HNC, HND, degree or equivalent alongside industry experience for higher-level teaching, while Level 3 qualifications and experience may suit workshop roles.

How requirements differ across the UK

• England: there is no single legal teaching qualification requirement for FE, but many colleges expect staff to hold or work towards one.
• Wales: FE teachers must register with the Education Workforce Council.
• Scotland: the TQFE is the established qualification for college lecturers. Registration arrangements are changing, so check current guidance.
• Northern Ireland: colleges commonly expect lecturers to gain a recognised teaching qualification within a set period.

See our guides for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and teaching qualifications and teaching without a teaching qualification for more detail.

Funding information

Support for teacher training, such as bursaries or employer-funded qualifications, changes over time and differs by nation. We only publish funding details that we have checked against official sources. See our funding information hub.

Common questions