Newcastle College is celebrating Adult Learner Week as more adults return to the classroom following the impact of Covid-19.
Adult Learner Week is taking place Monday 14 – Friday 18 June and coincides with the launch of a new range of free, full-time courses for adults through the government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee, launched as part of its FE Skills for Jobs White Paper and its plan to put skills at the centre of the country’s recovery plan.
The Lifetime Skills Guarantee is an initiative backed by the National Skills Fund to provide adults with the opportunity to learn new skills that will help them to improve their job prospects, upskill in their current field, or retrain for a new career, something that could particularly help those left unemployed as a result of closures through the pandemic.
The scheme offers eligible adults aged 24 and over in England the chance to enrol onto a fully funded full-time course, helping those who don’t currently hold a Level 3 qualification to boost their skills and improve their job prospects.
Courses available at Newcastle College as part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee include accounting, childcare, counselling and engineering and applications are now open to start in September.
Jo Phillips, Director of Adult Education at Newcastle College, said: “Continually learning throughout your life not only ensures your skills are relevant and competitive, but it also has a range of personal benefits such as boosting self-esteem and confidence and provides an opportunity to build friendships and support wellbeing.
“Whilst furlough has been acting as a safety net for many, it isn’t giving a true picture of the unemployment figures that we may experience when it comes to an end. Already, 41 per cent of adult enrolments at Newcastle College are claiming Job Seekers Allowance or Universal Credit and we expect this might increase. Alongside this, our economic landscape has changed, and the skills people need to thrive in a post-Covid world may be very different to before.”
The College will be hosting an Instagram live event at 12.30pm on Thursday 17 June to answer any questions about returning to college as an adult.
Find out more and apply for courses through the Lifetime Skills Guarantee now.