Help and Advice from NATFHE : Training to Teach

Welcome to the pages on NATFHE's website dedicated specifically to students training to be lecturers and postgraduate students planning a career in higher education.

We positively encourage people planning to enter lecturing as a career to join our union. That's why we offer free student associateship and free postgraduate student associateship to students training to be lecturers and to non-employed postgraduate students in new universities and colleges of higher education planning a career in HE.

On these pages, you can:
find out what NATFHE can offer you : the benefits of membership, and how you can get involved
join up on-line as a student associate or postgraduate student associate.
access tips and advice on working as a lecturer and developing your career
as it's never too early to start planning for the future, find out about lecturers' pensions and even planning for retirement .

If you are hoping to become a lecturer and are a postgraduate student in a new university or college of HE doing a little paid teaching - you can become a NATFHE member. If you're earning less than £15,000 a year you can join at a reduced subscription rate . You will have access to all the benefits and services of the union. NATFHE is campaigning to protect the interests of postgraduate students through our postgraduates' charter (PDF file) and other activities.

NATFHE is active in a range of campaigns to promote further and higher education and the interests of our members - for the latest on these see our FE News and HE News pages. We are campaigning for a better deal for student funding, and support the work of the NUS.

DfES Leaflet on changes to FE Initial Teacher Training

The DfES have published a set of useful leaflets Initial Teacher Training - making the reforms happen on the changes in learning and skills sector teacher training that will come in force in September 2007. Copies can be obtained from the learning organisers in the London, Birmingham and Manchester NATFHE offices and from the Colleges Department at Head Office, London.