Skills for life - Online

Skills for Life - Free Employability & Skills Courses

Develop the skills you need to participate fully in modern life, make progress at work and express yourself with confidence.

Whether you are a cleaner or a junior manager, office or construction worker, beginner or advanced level, our courses will help you develop the most in-demand workplace skills and at same time improve your general communication, English, ESOL, Data Literacy, Maths and Digital Skills. Our courses will also improve your skills and competences for life outside work from going to the doctors and filling out forms to talking about politics and discussing art.

Inside and outside work, in all types of jobs, at all levels, adults need to be problem-solvers, analysers, decision-makers, team-players, to see the bigger picture and be detail-oriented. Join our courses, online or face-to-face, and develop these universal essentials skills with our motivating, innovative and professional tutors.

What is the best course for me?

You need to do a pre-course assessment. You can also do it online, but a face-to-face assessment is best. 

  • Online assessment - click ‘Start Assessment’ on the course page
  • Or book a face-to-face assessment - call 0204 582 0423 or contact us by email at universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk for an appointment. You can also come without an appointment.

Times:

  • Every Monday 12- 2pm
  • Every Wednesday 6-8pm
  • Every Friday 11am-1pm (23rd August – 6th October)

Our in-person digital and computer skills pre-course advice and assessment sessions are every Monday 11am-1pm. We also have advice sessions on:

04/09/2023        Mon      11am – 1pm
06/09/2023        Wed      5pm – 7pm
08/09/2023        Fri          11am – 5pm
11/09/2023        Mon      11am – 1pm
13/09/2023        Wed      5pm – 7pm

 

Most of our courses are FREE if you are on a low income or claiming benefits. You will also usually need to do a pre-course assessment. For more details contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk or click the links below.

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  1. Maths for life and work (level 1)
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 17 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Do you want to prepare for Functional Skills Level 2 maths? Do you need to improve your maths to become more confident in problem-solving, analysing and making decisions at work and in your personal life? This course will help you with all of the above and make maths come alive. You will see how mathematics is everywhere and you will develop the maths you need to participate, make progress and express yourself in today's society. You will work on tasks which require you to use whole numbers and decimals, fractions and percentages and recognise the relationships between them. You will work on solving problem involving time, money and measurements, as well learn how to measure confidently and convert between units of measurement. You will be able to state properties of shapes, both 2D and 3D and be better able to interpret, discuss and comment on the graphs, charts and tables you see in newspapers, on the internet and at work.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    Free course: This is a Multiply course. Multiply is a new government programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills. This course is free for Londoners aged 19 or over. For more information Click here



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £0.00 Senior fee £0.00 Concession £0.00
  2. Develop your writing and language skills (level 1-level 2)
    Course start date:  Tue 23 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Have you been learning English for a long time but your writing just doesn’t seem to be improving? Are you quite a fluent speaker but find formal speaking difficult? Do you feel ‘stuck’. This course will release you! You will focus on how to improve the structure of your writing both the whole text, paragraphs and sentences. You will work on understanding the grammar of the language, and the skills you learn to develop your writing will help you improve your more formal speaking whether this is for job interviews, meetings at work or giving presentations. This course is ideal if you have been living in the UK for several years, feel quite comfortable in speaking English as a second language, but lack confidence in your literacy skills.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
    Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £103.00 Concession £65.00
  3. English pronunciation: stage 3
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 23 Apr 2024 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  David John Gwillim
    Designed for fluent non- native students and all who have completed 'English Pronunciation' stages 1 and 2. Conversation and the reading aloud of a variety of texts will help to pinpoint those pronunciation worries still to be addressed.



    This course will be taught online.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £153.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  4. Grammar in practice: advanced (level 2+)
    Course start date:  Wed 24 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Is your grammar holding you back? Learn how to communicate more effectively by analysing, discussing and experimenting with English grammar. This course will help you realise that grammar is really about meaning: understanding better the meaning of what someone is saying and expressing yourself more meaningfully.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name). The course runs over three terms (though you may start any term, places allowing).



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £90.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  5. English pronunciation: stage 2
    Last Few Places, Evening
    Course start date:  Fri 27 Sep 2024 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  David John Gwillim
    Designed for people who have completed ‘English Pronunciation: stage 1’ although new students with sufficient skills can join. Develop confidence and clarity, explore diphthongs and triphthongs, inflection and the rhythms of Standard English. This term the course will be taught online.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £259.00 Concession £181.00
    Rating:
    96% of 100
  6. English pronunciation: stage 1
    Last Few Places, Evening
    Course start date:  Fri 26 Apr 2024 (and 3 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  David John Gwillim
    Are you a non-native fluent speaker who wants to improve your pronunciation of English and to speak the language more clearly and confidently? Work on clear formation of vowel and consonant sounds including the English neutral vowel and the distinction between voiced and unvoiced sounds. This term the course will be taught online.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00
    Rating:
    97% of 100
  7. Grammar in practice: upper intermediate (level 1-2)
    Course start date:  Fri 3 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Unsure when to use present perfect or past perfect? Is reported speech still causing you problems? Do you need to practise your conditionals? Join this course and put your grammar into practice in speaking, writing, reading and listening. Gain confidence in using grammar effectively through high level and engaging tasks



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  8. Business English communication skills: communicating, managing, selling (level 2)
    Evening
    Course start date:  Mon 6 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Do you want to work in business but lack the confidence? Do you already have a job but feel that your language skills are holding you back? This course will help you improve your business and work English so you can be confident in your communication skills and that you have the right language to manage others and engage in sales. You will focus on tasks typically associated with management and sales including conducting meetings, writing formally, creating plans, building rapport, identifying needs, presenting solutions, answering objections and closing the sale.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £95.00
  9. Preparing for maths GCSE
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 4 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Do you want to gain a Maths GCSE but are not ready yet to achieve this in a single year? Do you need to test your abilities before attempting the qualification course? Then this Preparing for Maths GCSE is the course for you. It will prepare you for the accreditation and familiarise you with its content, level and expectation. You will need to complete and pass an initial assessment before starting this course to demonstrate at least a Level 1 Functional Skills level of Maths.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).



    Free course: This is a Multiply course. Multiply is a new government programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills. This course is free for Londoners aged 19 or over. For more information Click here



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £0.00 Senior fee £0.00 Concession £0.00
  10. Maths higher GCSE
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 12 Sep 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Are you excited by the language of Maths? Join this GCSE course after completing Maths higher GCSE (introduction) and learn how numbers, symbols and formulas enable us to identify and solve problems as well as find patterns and structure in the world. This course will extend your analytical and problem-solving skills and help you develop logic to plan and manage activities. A Maths GCSE is one of the most commonly required qualifications by employers and universities and by achieving it you will enhance your job and education prospects.







    Please note the Thursday classes are not every week, but approximately every third week.



    Please note: you MUST pass the first 7 weeks of the course, and then the next 7 weeks. You must attend every class and do the necessary homework. If you do not, you will not be able to continue the course.



    Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 4582 0423 for information and to book a pre-course assessment. You can also click the Start Assessment button on this page.



    This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in Maths. For more information Click here



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £0.00 Senior fee £0.00 Concession £0.00
  11. Maths foundation GCSE
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 12 Sep 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Are you excited by the language of Maths? Do you want to understand how numbers, symbols and formulas enable us to identify and solve problems as well as find patterns and structure in the world. This course will extend your analytical and problem-solving skills and help you develop logic to plan and manage activities. A Maths GCSE is one of the most commonly required qualifications by employers and universities and by achieving it you will enhance your job and education prospects. Please note the Friday classes are not every Friday, but approximately every third week.



    Please note: you MUST pass the first 7 weeks of the course, and then the next 7 weeks. You must attend every class and do the necessary homework. If you do not, you will not be able to continue the course.



    Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 4582 0423 for information and to book a pre-course assessment. You can also click the Start Assessment button on this page.



    This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in Maths. For more information Click here



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £0.00 Senior fee £0.00 Concession £0.00
  12. ESOL - communication skills for life and work (entry 3 reading and writing)
    Last Few Places, Evening
    Course start date:  Mon 19 Feb 2024 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Are you quite confident in your everyday English? Can you go shopping, talk about simple subjects and write a letter or email? But do you make quite a lot of mistakes? Is it difficult to speak, read or write about more complicated topics? This pre-intermediate course will help you practise your speaking, listening, reading and writing so that you can understand people better, talk about most daily topics, read a simple news story and write a long email or letter. There will be reading and writing exams.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name)..



    This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
    Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £140.00
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