Education Inspector: Job Description, Education & Employment

The field of education and teaching has an increasing demand of professionals. Candidates can choose from a wide range of education career possibilities. Becoming an education inspector is one of the most satisfying senior level job positions. These professionals are responsible for reporting on the quality of education. Schools, education colleges and community learning centers all have a great demand for these professionals. To become an education inspector, candidates need to know about the job description, educational qualification, experience, career development, job skills and earning benefits. Read on to know all this and more.

Job Description
An education inspector's job happens to be quite challenging. The occupation demands greater responsibility to better the quality of education in schools and colleges. Working as an inspector, you would work under a lead inspector. These professionals first go through the pre-inspection briefing to perform their inspection task. They keenly observe teaching sessions and talk to both teachers and students. During team meetings, they present their observation and provide essential information to their team members.

To perform their work efficiently, they prepare detailed reports on the ground of what they observe during teaching sessions. They are responsible for giving valuable feedback to schools and colleges. The education inspector may directly observe and study the entire teaching procedure. Or, they may also be employed as additional inspectors.

Inspectors may need to travel from one school or college to another. They inspect the quality of education and work closely with other higher education professionals. They work for both private and government agencies. They are called upon when government agencies adopt and apply new education and teaching strategies. A team can have more than one inspector, further led by registered inspectors. The education inspector should possess a good knowledge of education laws and policy to perform their work appropriately. Most of these inspectors start their career or get promoted to this job position after serving as a headteacher, deputy head or head of the department.

Educational Qualification & Experience
An advanced degree in education or a relevant field and extensive teaching experience is essential for becoming an education inspector. Senior level teaching experience plays an important role in shaping a successful inspector career. Besides having an education degree, inspectors need to possess at least five years of teaching experience in schools, colleges and other higher educational organizations. These professionals also need to have some management experience to carry out their work efficiently. Inspectors also need to keep themselves abreast of the curriculum and latest developments in this occupation. To have up-to-date knowledge of educational matters, education inspectors also need to be an active participant at seminars and conferences.

Job Skills
Besides possessing an education degree, inspectors need to have some important job skills and work knowledge. These include observational skills, interviewing skills (for interviewing teachers, students and parents), analytical skills, capability to make objective judgment, teamworking skills, organizational skills, excellent communication (both verbal and written) and IT skills.

Employment Opportunities
Education and teaching being a burgeoning occupation field, there are no dearth of employment for education inspectors. Employment opportunities exist both in the public and the private sector. Regional inspection service providers employ a large number of these professionals. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (United Kingdom) employs inspectors of education. The Times Educational Supplements advertises vacancies for these posts in the UK. With growing experience, education inspectors can also be promoted to the senior level job position of assistant divisional manager or divisional manager.

Working Conditions & Hours
Education inspectors are called upon during school and college inspection. Working hours may vary depending on the project requirement. Though the work may be mostly home-based, professionals will need to travel to inspect education and training services in schools, colleges and other higher education and learning centers.

Annual Salary
Education inspectors earn between the range of £48,500 to around £61,000 annually. Those who are employed as additional inspectors receive their wage on a daily basis.