I have come across these two colleges while looking for a job, but I've never heard of them before. Even though they couldn't be Belford-like, I wanted to check with you guys instead of taking for granted what's written on their website. Would it be academically a false move to start teaching at places like these?

http://lcuck.ac.uk/

http://www.st-patricks.ac.uk

Thanks...

I've never heard of them before.. are they converted polytechnics?

You can check whether a college or uni is "real" here:
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/providersregister/search.cfm

BTW I'm not suggesting that these aren't - just giving the information!

thank you...

If they have the ac.uk ending then they will be official

They're independent, aren't they. The St Patricks one is in a tiny road off Oxford Street in central London and I can't say I've ever noticed it, though I've been based at colleges round here for years. Seems odd to have all their degrees validated by different UK unis.

Personally, I would only teach at colleges like that if I really needed the money, though my subject wouldn't fit anyway, as they seem to be more industry-orientated in their range of courses. I know there are certain places I *should* teach at for career enhancing purposes, if that doesn't sound too pretentious, though those colleges would also be far more interesting academically for my topic.

Thanks Rubyw. I think I am worried about those points too. I do need the money, but I wouldn't want to jeopardise my academic career (if I have any) by following a wrong path. Hmmm decisions decisions... :-)

You could always teach there for a short while to get the money, but not put it on your CV. As long as you've got something else that looks better academically for that period on your CV, it could be your secret! You might find it's not for you anyway.

Someone here does a lot of teaching English as a foreign language, but it's more a money thing than a career thing for him - he'd drop it if he got more teaching in his chosen field, but there isn't much around at present. It comes down to economics in the end.

true... and it sounds logical. I'll send my CV and see what happens. At least the pay is better than most temp jobs. Thanks again.

Now I'm not suggesting these two colleges are not legit...but an awful lot of private colleges similar to these set-ups are basically conduits for young foreigners to get student visas/low paid work.

With respect to working for them, the word barge pole springs to mind.

I see what you mean Missspacey. hmmmmm they could be one of those schools I guess..

The prospectus of the latter offers a lot of help for getting your visa sorted out, so Missspacey might be right there... can't imagine you'd get that in usual FE colleges. I might wander past and have a look if I'm up that way, it might just be a floor or two above a shop or an office in that area, like some of the 'language schools' round there. Still, it might be better than working for Office Angels.

Thanks for that Rubyw. That's a great idea. In fact, I should go and visit them to see what they are like. Don't know why I didn't think about that :$

Imagine if it's somebody's living room :p

Hhmmm, that might not be impossible - did you look at the photos in their brochure? And they might have been taken with a wide angle lens and then Photoshopped....

on one of the photos there's a woman in bath robe watching daytime tv sitting on the sofa, a child on the carpet playing with toys; and on one corner of the photo I can see the unwashed dishes and food leftovers.