What is your name, job title and place of work?

Rupinder Sandhu, art lecturer and course leader of art at Sandwell College.

How long have you held your current role, and what other jobs did you have before?

I started as a part-time art lecturer and a sessional adult learning support assistant while studying my PGCE. I then became a full-time art lecturer and course leader for level 3 Btec art and design and have been at Sandwell for a total of eight years.

How - and why - did you first start working in further education?

While studying my BA degree in fine art, I got in contact with my old high school and asked to deliver some creative art workshops to sixth-form students. This was the moment when I realised I wanted to go into teaching - I found the experience so rewarding and took a great deal away from it, and it helped me build on my confidence. Having graduated, I then applied to do a PGCE in post-compulsory education and did my placement at Sandwell College.

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Briefly describe what a day at work looks like for you.

I start my day by preparing resources and equipment to set my lesson ready for the arrival of my learners. Welcoming my learners into my class is key to promoting a sense of belonging, and them knowing they have that social and emotional support to help them feel invested in their learning - it’s the little things that make the biggest impact on a student. 

What motivates you in your workplace?

My main motivation is the learners I teach, knowing that I am going to make a difference in a young person’s life to prepare them for their future aspirations. I am very passionate about my subject area of art  and design; as an educator, I do feel that the creative arts is overlooked. A stand-out moment was when I was speaking to a prospective student about art and design until his mother came over and said: “You can’t do art, that won’t help you get a job!” I was shocked and felt the young boy’s disappointment. I asked his mother to take a seat and started my introduction with this: “The clothes that we wear are designed by a fashion designer, the plates we eat from are sculpted by a sculptor, the houses we live in designed by an architect”. Once I mention these examples, parents and guardians appreciate the value of the qualification a lot more.

Share an anecdote about a student or learner who has inspired you.

I recently got in contact with an ex-student who is currently in her final year studying her BA in product design at Birmingham City University. This student started at Btec level 2 in art and had come from Poland. English was not her first language and she would find it difficult to write about her art work, which was absolutely outstanding. To overcome the communication and writing barrier, I gave her one-to-one catch-up sessions to help her improve her English. She is a student that will always stick with me due to her sheer determination and willpower and has made me incredibly proud.

Do you enjoy working in FE? And if so, why?

One hundred per cent yes! Despite the challenges throughout this pandemic, I would say it has really opened my eyes to finding innovative ways of working and the amazing supportive colleagues I have around me. I am privileged in that I have been recognised as a Btec Tutor of the Year 2021 and have received a bronze award for my teaching practice and advocation on mental health and wellbeing across the college and externally.

What do you see as the big challenges for the FE sector in the next few years?

The biggest challenge I see is supporting our young people to recover from the personal mental health issues they have suffered during the pandemic and build on their communication, interaction and social skills. Good mental health and wellbeing are crucial to ensuring our young people are happy and thrive in their education.

What do you think our FE sector will look like in 30 years’ time?

I think blended learning will be something naturally embedded into the curriculum offering young people more technical skills through the use of interactive spaces such as VR [virtual reality] and AR [augmented reality] technology. This will widen the opportunities for young people and transform the world of work in the future and work experience. Technology has been at the forefront of education this year, with this in mind I think there will be a huge focus on engaging more adults into education.

If you were made apprenticeships and skills minister, what is the first thing you’d introduce or change?

If I were made apprenticeships and skills minister, I would introduce an apprentice programme dedicated to young people that wish to explore their creativity. I would encourage creative businesses and organisations to invest in apprentices to encourage growth within the creative sector. Creative apprenticeships tend to be overlooked and there is a gap in FE colleges to provide these opportunities and invaluable experiences for the young creative minds of today.