The degree apprenticeship is part of a government-supported scheme to close the skills gap in the IT sector, by providing apprentices (young employees without a  university qualification or more senior ones looking to upskill/reskill) a  route to a BSc degree, while in work. Aston University has been delivering the DTS apprenticeship since the beginning of the scheme, in 2015, to great success, due in equal parts to its excellent teaching and its established industrial collaborations portfolio. This allowed the programme to attract apprentices from a variety of large companies as well as local SMEs, a trend that has grown consistently over the past years.

The Teaching Fellow will teach a variety of computing disciplines to undergraduate students enrolled on all stages of the DTS programme and will carry out the associated assessment. There will be an expectation to develop own teaching materials, methods and approaches, thus contributing to the design and content of specific areas of teaching and learning within the University’s work-based programmes. The successful applicant will use a range of efficient, innovative methods and techniques in teaching, learning and assessment, with special focus on digital delivery. It is critical that the post holder is an effective module leader, proficient at keeping taught content in line with current and emerging industry needs, enthusiastic about supporting learners, both in an academic capacity, as well as a pastoral one, and highly efficient at time management, specifically in what concerns marking and providing assessment feedback. Excellent communication and cooperation with other members of the teaching, coaching and administration teams supporting the DTS and other work-based programmes, as well as strict adherence to quality assurance measures are all essential to the role.

We are looking for applicants holding a BSc in Computer Science or a related discipline, with experience of teaching and assessing within a degree programme to high standards and with demonstrable impact on students’ learning. The successful candidate will have taught and assessed in various formats, such as lectures, labs/practical sessions, live demos, monitored group work, etc., delivered in the classroom and online, in short sessions and day-long teaching blocks. A track record of assisting learners in full time employment, or other circumstances requiring additional support, is essential. The post holder will be able to demonstrate an ability to teach a range of topics appropriate to all levels of an undergraduate computing course, including programming, software engineering and a number of specialist topics. An ability to explain complex computing concepts, in a clear and concise style, with the aim of equipping learners with job-relevant practical skills as well as theoretical fundamentals is essential.