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. Develop your confidence in writing: sentence formation, grammar and punctuation in everyday writing (level 1-2)
    Course start date:  Wed 1 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Would you like to be more confident in the way you write whether emails or reports at work or messages to friends? Do you want to work on how you form sentences, understand grammar and use punctuation so your writing is more creative? Do you want to learn how to create meaning in your writing?. This course will help you be more secure in your professional, academic or creative writing skills and help you improve some of your weak areas around forming and punctuating sentences with appropriate grammatical form. You will develop your confidence in the most essential areas of writing including different sentence structures, writing paragraphs, using punctuation effectively, using active and passive voices and proofreading.



    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 £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. Communication skills: develop your English for social media - podcasting (level 1-level 2)
    Course start date:  Thu 16 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Are you new to podcasting? Would you like to start podcasting but unsure you have the communication skills? Or are you looking to improve your general speaking skills? This course will provide you with the skills you need. You will work on the key features needed to sound fluent and engaging. You will practise how to reduce your hesitations, sounding natural while also being controlled. You will develop techniques for changing and adapting your volume, tone, pitch and pace as well as breathing and pausing. You will work on how to prepare for speaking on a public platform whether through questioning or longer monologues and on how to create suitable scripts. Whether you are wanting to become a professional podcaster, produce family podcasts or simply improve your overall communication skills, this course will provide you with the tools you need.



    You need to do a pre-course activity to make sure this is the right course for you. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for information and to book a pre-course assessment. Or you can click the Start Assessment button on this page.



    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
  5. English pronunciation: stage 1 (intensive)
    Course start date:  Mon 15 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  David John Gwillim
    Improve your pronunciation of Standard English on this intensive course, each day for one week, which includes detailed study of vowel and consonant sounds, and work on clarity and intonation. This course is for speakers of other languages who are fluent in English. Some homework required.
    Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £167.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  6. English pronunciation: stage 2 (intensive)
    Course start date:  Mon 22 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  David John Gwillim
    Ideal if you have completed 'English pronunciation: stage 1', the course develops fluency and clarity and explores diphthongs and triphthongs, inflexion and intonation, and the rhythms of standard English.
    Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £167.00
  7. English pronunciation: stage 1
    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
  8. 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
  9. English pronunciation: stage 2
    Evening
    Course start date:  Thu 25 Apr 2024 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    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 in the college.
    Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00
    Rating:
    96% of 100
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. ESOL - communication skills for life and work (entry 1)
    Last Few Places
    Course start date:  Wed 17 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    For students who can speak or write only a few words in English or maybe none at all. On this beginners' course, you will learn new words and grammar, how to ask and answer questions, how to read and write about yourself, your family, and friends, and how to complete forms and short emails.



    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 £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00
  14. Develop your writing and language skills (level 1-level 2)
    Last Few Places
    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
  15. Pre-Entry ESOL (Intro to reading and writing english)
    Course start date:  Wed 24 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street





    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 £130.00 Senior fee £91.00 Concession £65.00
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