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A database of vocational experts who want to 'pass on their skills' as a further education teacher, tutor or trainer has been launched by Lifelong Learning UK to help colleges and independent learning providers fill key learning delivery roles.

The Pass on Your Skills vocational practitioner database allows providers to search, free of charge, for professionals with technical or vocational backgrounds who want to start a new career in teaching. It links providers with individuals who have expertise in specific areas where corresponding skills shortages exist in the learning and skills sector.

The pilot database launched on 14 November and contains details of over 500 individually assessed individuals from engineering and health and social care backgrounds. It was developed following a national Pass on Your Skills recruitment drive by Lifelong Learning UK, to encourage industry professionals to consider a career in further education and help learing providers strengthen vocational expertise in their workforce.

Further Pass on Your Skills recruitment campaigns in 2009 will lead to a wider roll out of the database, extending the range of vocational expertise offered by candidates in the database to cover additional 'in-demand' skill sets including STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) and construction and the built environment-related expertise.

Learning providers can access the Pass on Your Skills vocational practitioner database at www.lluk.org/poys-database.htm. Registration takes five minutes, following which providers can search for and request further details about candidates who match their recruitment needs.

Pass on Your Skills is part of the Catalyst programme, through which Lifelong Learning UK provides a number of initiatives to help learning providers recruit and develop an outstanding workforce. For more information please visit www.catalystprogramme.org.