Newcastle College has announced its plans to offer free courses for adults under the new Lifetime Skills Guarantee.
The Lifetime Skills Guarantee offers those adults aged 24 and over the opportunity to study their first Level 3 course for free.
The scheme is aimed at helping more people to boost their existing skills and develop new ones to help them progress in their careers, change sectors, or get back into the world of work. All of the courses on offer have been chosen to ensure that adults can develop the skills that employers really need, meaning better job prospects and more opportunities to earn.
To qualify for the scheme, adults must be aged 24 and over, live in England and not yet hold a Level 3 qualification (equivalent to three A-Levels).
Extra support for adults who are currently unemployed and receiving Universal Credit has also been announced to help them access the scheme. The government has announced a pilot extension to the length of time that people can study while in receipt of Universal Credit, meaning they will now be able to train full time for up to 12 weeks. This will allow access to more training options and provide a better chance of finding work whilst continuing to receive vital financial support.
From April, those who qualify for the Lifetime Skills Guarantee can study a Level 3 qualification in Counselling Skills at Newcastle College and an additional course in Understanding Mental Health will launch in May. Applications are now open for these courses.
More free courses in areas including Accounting, Automotive, Childcare, Construction, Education and Engineering will launch soon for a September start. To register your interest, please email enquiries@ncl-coll.ac.uk who will let you know when applications are open.