Skills for life

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. English language GCSE
    Evening
    Course start date:  Thu 7 Sep 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Are you excited by the English language? Do you want to engage with fiction and non-fiction? Do you need to improve your writing and critical thinking across a range of topics and themes? An English Language GCSE is an essential qualification for anyone wanting to practise higher-order reading skills and use these to develop fluent and effective writing. It is one of the most commonly required qualifications by employers and universities, and will enhance your job and education prospects. This specification will ensure that you can read fluently and write effectively, demonstrate a confident control of Standard English and write grammatically correct sentences, deploying figurative language, and analyse texts.



    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.



    You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 4582 0423 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 for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in English. For more information Click here
    Full fee £0.00 Senior fee £0.00 Concession £0.00
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. ESOL - communication skills for life and work (level 1 reading and writing)
    Evening
    Course start date:  Mon 19 Feb 2024 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Are you now a confident speaker and writer of English? Can you communicate quite easily in your daily life, understand people around you and read and write about everyday subjects? This intermediate course will help you speak, read and write about more complicated topics with greater accuracy. You will learn how to make a presentation, write formally and informally, and read about more challenging and interesting subjects. There will be reading and writing exams in July.



    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 £349.00 Senior fee £279.00 Concession £175.00
  5. ESOL - communication skills for life and work (level 2 reading and writing)
    Course start date:  Tue 20 Feb 2024

    Location on this date:  Blended (learn both online and in-person)

    Do you have a good level of competency in all areas of your English? Can you express yourself accurately in speaking and writing, read newspapers and understand most television and radio? This upper-intermediate to advanced course will enrich your vocabulary in both formal and informal English, enhance your grammar and prepare you fully for the demands of work and study in the UK. There will be reading and writing exam in July.



    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 and in person. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £349.00 Senior fee £279.00 Concession £175.00
  6. English communication skills - for life and work (level 1)
    Course start date:  Mon 15 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Do you want to improve your communication skills and become more confident speaking, listening, reading and writing English? This course will help you develop all your English language skills so you can act confidently in the most important everyday situations inside and outside work. You will become a skilled communicator when writing, using digital resources and in face-to-face interactions. You will develop your active listening skills so you can understand and empathise better. You will work on how to express yourself when speaking in different situations. You will practise your reading so you can see the whole picture and find details, make effective decisions about what you read, and prioritise matters. By the end of this three-term programme, you will be a competent speaker, listener, reader and writer both at work and home and ready to do exams such as Functional Skills Level 2.



    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).
    Full fee £0.00 Senior fee £0.00 Concession £0.00
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