If you have a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at Level 3 or equivalent in your subject area and relevant work experience in your vocational or technical area, you can apply. If you're not sure, we can assess your qualification and advise you if it is equivalent to NVQ Level 3. You could be invited for an interview at your local college or learning provider and you may also be asked to provide a satisfactory reference, depending on the college or learning provider's requirements.

The PTLLS course covers the following areas:

• teaching and learning approaches
• how to plan and deliver learning
• delivery strategies
• the use of and the production of learning resources
• the use of different assessment methods
• the role of the tutor
• learning styles.

By learning about these areas, you will start to develop the initial skills and understanding that you will need to effectively teach others.

PTLLS can be delivered in a variety of ways - for example as a one-week course, as day-release or part-time over several weeks. You can find out what options are available to you by contacting your local college or learning provider. The course lasts approximately 60 hours, half of which is spent with a tutor and the other half on self-study. You will also be asked to practice your new teaching skills with your peers.

PTLLS is just a starting point. This training course will give you the skills you need to start in a new role as a teacher, tutor or trainer - but you can then develop your teaching skills further. There are a number of routes available, depending on the type of role you decide to take, and you can take up to five years to complete further qualifications leading to Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS) or Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status.

The teaching of adults happens in many different locations and contexts and tutors are often expected to be flexible and dynamic in their practice. As a health & social care or engineering professional, you can teach full-time or part-time, a few hours a week or combine teaching with your day job.

You might find yourself in a very different working environment from the one you're used to. To help you get started - and to support you during your studies and in the weeks following the course as you look for a teaching role - a member the Pass on Your Skills team (a mentor with a background in assessing and experience in teaching) will be available to help with your questions.

The PTLLS courses will be provided free of charge as the Pass on Your Skills initiative is funding all participants on the courses who have expertise in the relevant skills shortage areas.

There is a growing demand for well qualified and experienced vocational and technical professionals to become teachers, tutors and trainers. Jobs in the sector are advertised in a number of places. Most colleges and Adult and Community Learning centres will have their own websites where they will advertise any available posts, and they will also advertise in the local press. Some colleges advertise full-time vacancies in the 'FE Focus' section of 'The Times Educational Supplement'. This is published on Fridays and is available through most newsagents and in public libraries. These job advertisements are also available on the associated website (www.tesjobs.co.uk) for three weeks after their first appearance. Many posts are also advertised on www.fejobs.com, on www.fecareers.co.uk and on www.teachFE.com, including NVQ assessor roles, and roles with work based learning training providers. Please see the links page of this website for further places to look for a job.

Extensive research has identified that Health & Social Care and Engineering are sectors that often face difficulty in recruiting teachers, trainers and tutors in the FE sector. Therefore initially we are interested in providing a free PTLLS course for practitioners with a background in these identified shortage skills areas.

When newly qualified professionals start work in vocational areas, it is really important that they have the right skills and knowledge to do their job correctly first time. Many further education (FE) colleges have difficulty in finding teachers, tutors and trainers with the right skills to deliver their qualifications. If you have the practical experience and knowledge, along with a relevant qualification in your vocational area, it would be worth you considering becoming a teacher, tutor or trainer to pass on your skills.