One of the jobs in higher education that you can get is that of a teacher of a specific trade at a technical or community college. Some of the categories you can choose from include mechanics, carpentry, electrical, plumbing cosmetology, information technology and more. There are so many options in this field of education that if you have the skills and experience to work at the trade, you may just get hired to prepare others to work in that field.
As a trade instructor working in one of the available jobs in higher education, you prepare the course materials to meet the demands of the industry. Most of the trades do require that students become certified in the filed, so the courses you teach must meet the requirements of that certification. As for the training you will need to get this kind of job, it would be preferable to posses the highest level of certification need in the job. In most colleges, if you have extensive experience working on the job, this will be enough qualification to hire you for the teaching position. You should be knowledgeable, though, about how to teach others to do this kind of work.
The main thing involved with being a trade teacher in jobs of higher education is that you must meet safety regulations. You should be bale to train the students in your classes how to use the various types of equipment safely to protect themselves and others around them. The type of classroom you work in will vary according to the specific trade. For example, carpentry courses, usually take place in a workshop environment where students have access to the materials and saws they need for the job.
In the various jobs in higher education, you will not be expected to teach every course related to the program. You will only work in your area of expertise. Even though you may know the theory behind the job, you will not be expected to teach these classes if you don’t feel comfortable doing so or if you don’t have the proper qualifications. On the other hand, you might prefer teaching the theory classes and leave the hands-on teaching to another person.
As part of being a trade teacher in jobs in higher education, your job may include the supervision of apprentices involved in on-the-job training. This is usually a mandatory component of such training programs. It will take you out of the college for periods of time and allow you to see how the students you have instructed have learned what you taught. You will likely have a different group of students each term which means you get to know many different people. You should have excellent communication skills and be able to get along with a diverse group of students. In addition, you should possess the skills necessary to evaluate the students using different assessment methods and to be able to provide them with help and support when they need it to help them passs the course.
