Pros
I worked at the City Lit for over 6 years, and loved the teams and the ethos of the place. It's a very special college, that welcomes people from all walks of life, and that makes for a very rare and special place to work. The college seems to have a life and atmosphere of its own, no matter who has taken the helm (luckily).
Cons
During my time there, the college went from being a very flat organisational structure – with lots of opportunities for people to try things out and have their say – to a very hierarchical one. With the recruitment of a new head, it quickly turned into an 'old boys club', with most new projects being based on at the whims (and vanity) of the leadership, rather than the expertise of the teachers and full-time staff. Lots of 'friends' seemed to be brought in as leaders, and people who had dedicated much time and passion to the college over the years were pushed out. Because of this, the college ended up a much more competitive environment, and developed a blame culture. I really care about the organisation, hope the college has changed since and that their HR approaches have become more transparent. Thankfully I'm working somewhere much more open and accepting now.
