The initiative is funded by a partnership between the Education and Training Foundation (ETF), which has a charitable objective to develop the technical education workforce, and the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851.
The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851’s mission is to “increase the means of industrial education and extend the influence of science and art upon productive industry” through postgraduate Fellowships and Scholarships for advanced study and research in science, engineering, and a small number of Special Awards. Many of these are focused on raising awareness of career paths and opportunities presented by science and engineering to young people.
The Technical Teaching Fellowship Programme celebrates, develops and disseminates exceptional practice in technical teaching, to support and empower the industrial and technical expertise of the next generation. Funded fellowships enable successful applicants to develop and promote a model of professional excellence in their delivery of technical education, and for effective practice to be disseminated widely to improve the quality of technical teaching and training.
At the heart of the programme is the understanding that to grow industrial capacity, we need to recognise, reward and promote high quality collaborations between industry and education in the Further Education and Training sector.
Following a review of the impact of the Technical Teaching Fellowships programme since its inception in 2018, the Fellowships are now included in the Royal Commission’s portfolio of permanent awards, alongside other prestigious awards. The decision means that an increased number of ETF-Royal Commission Fellowships – up to six – will be awarded for 2024/25. It also means an extension of the geographical reach of the Fellowships, with applications welcome from practitioners demonstrating excellence working in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. With the support of the Welsh Government, the programme is also being made accessible to Welsh speakers.
In summary, successful applicants will:
Successful applicants will be made Fellows of the Society for Education and Training (SET) and awarded a year’s free membership during their participation in the programme.
The programme will accept applications from the Four Nations of the United Kingdom, any type of ESFA-funded provider and any type of practitioner role. Joint applications from two individuals wishing to work together will be considered, both from one organisation or as a partnership between two providers.
Technical Teaching Fellowships may be awarded in any area of technical education where innovative practice is already providing exceptional learning experiences. Applicants must be able to demonstrate the quality and impact of the work for which a Technical Teaching Fellowship is proposed. This may be for one specific area of practice or for a range of activities that collectively form a powerful and sector-leading experience for their learners.
Applications should propose activity to share effective practice and drive improvement, but full support will be given to assess the potential of the Technical Teaching Fellowship to drive growth, particularly in areas where there are greater skills needs or limited employer engagement with skills development.
Successful proposals will be characterised by:
Full guidance to assist applicants is provided at the end of the application form.
Fellowship awardees:
You can listen to the Technical Teaching Fellows:
Cerian Ayres, the ETF’s National Head of Technical Education, wrote about why technical teachers should consider applying in an FE News article- Raising the bar: A double celebration of excellence in STEM.
You may also be interested in reading a previous article: Fellows raising the profile of FE technical teaching and training through technical teaching fellowships
For further information about the programme, please contact Cerian.