Whether you are looking to become qualified in a specific trade, build upon your existing qualifications to improve your career prospects, improve employee training in the workplace, or simply have an interest that you are looking to build upon, there are a vast range of courses available in the UK to cater to your needs.
From full time college courses through to part time online training, you can be sure that, whatever your current situation, there will be a course available that can fit around your life. With so many courses offered from different institutions and companies it can be difficult to know which courses and qualifications are the most relevant to your needs. It is also important to understand the funding available to you, as you’ll often be entitled to some form of government funding to help you cover the cost of your course.
If you are aiming to become a tradesman then taking a course is essential as you will require specific qualifications in order to practice your chosen trade. Most trade courses will be a combination of classroom work and hands on practical training. Typically, the qualifications consist of a City & Guilds award followed by an NVQ, or equivalent, which will lead you to becoming fully qualified in your trade of choice.
These types of courses are available for a huge range of different trades and skills from plumbing, plastering or carpentry right through to hairdressing or health and beauty qualifications. These courses are widely available at local colleges and trade institutes in all towns and cities across the UK and you’ll have no problem finding a course near you.
Many people lack confidence in their English and Maths skills, especially in the workplace or when it comes to jobs interviews, but also in everyday life. A short course is a great way to improve your own skills and confidence as well as looking good on your CV to any prospective employers.
Further to these foundations there is also a good variety of different courses available to improve your current skill set – whether you want to improve in your current role at work, or are aiming to spread your career path in a different direction. Courses available range from business and management qualifications to computing and IT.
In this digital age, a classroom isn’t always necessary and there are many online e-courses available which can prove useful thanks to their flexibility – although they require a certain level of motivation and self discipline as there is nobody over your shoulder making sure you are getting on with the course! Another advantage of an e-course is the cost – typically much lower than a tutored course.
The government funding you receive for you course depends on a number of factors including your own personal circumstances but as a general rule of thumb the more tutor time involved, the higher the funding. As a result e-courses, being tutor-less, receive no funding.
There are also some courses which are fully funded – essentially free. These are usually the foundational courses such as basic Maths and English – with more advanced and specific courses being partially funded. With such a wide choice too pick from and help available at every turn, it really is a great time to expand your horizons and opportunities with a training course.