Essential Skills for the Workplace and Everyday Life
Free courses online and in London.
Join Essential Skills and learn the key skills you need to progress in work and participate fully in everyday life.
Our courses develop your communication, decision-making, problem-solving, team-building and analytical skills, at the same time as you improve your English, ESOL, maths, digital skills, and data literacy.
The classes are at all levels from beginner literacy to GCSE English, for new office-workers to experienced managers, from maths for life to data analysis in the workplace.
Join the courses below and develop the skills essential to your job success, well-being, and ability to express yourself in all settings, digitally and face-to-face.
Many of our courses are free to all UK and EU citizens living in London, and most are free if you are:
- on a Low Wage or
- on Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) or Employment & Support Allowance (ESA), or
- receiving other state benefits (including Universal Credit)
To find out more, please read this information pack. You can also apply to our bursary if you need help with fees.
For help or advice, please contact us on 020 7492 2511 or email universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk. Most of our classes are now live online. You will need a computer with a microphone, a camera, and a good internet connection. Some courses are taking place in the City Lit building in London.
- Maths functional skills level 2Course start date: Wed 12 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This qualification is designed to help you build practical mathematical skills for everyday life, work, and further study. Whether you're managing money, interpreting data, or solving problems at work, this course gives you the confidence and ability to apply maths effectively in real-world situations.
Important Notice for Prospective Students
Enrolment Process:
Please note that enrolment on this course has a 2-stage process:
A written maths initial assessment
A short 10–15-minute interview with one of our assessors
This process is important as the course is demanding and requires a high level of commitment. We want to ensure that you are well-prepared and can achieve your true potential.
Funding Eligibility:
Students are eligible to complete only one Level 2 qualification for free, either GCSE or Functional Skills Level 2. If you choose to complete Functional Skills Level 2 first, you cannot then proceed to complete the GCSE for free.
This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in Maths. For more information Click here
Full fee £279.00 - Learning to use your smartphone (Android)Course start date: Mon 17 Nov 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Does your smartphone confuse you? Are you unsure how to make the most of its many features? Understanding and navigating your way round a smartphone is now as important as being able to use a regular computer. This short course will help you understand your Android smartphone, troubleshoot problems and use some of the most popular apps. By the end of the course you will be confident you can use or find out how to use the key features of your phone.
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 £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £30.00 - Learn English - discover London, its history, culture and people (level 1-level 2)
Course start date: Mon 12 Jan 2026 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you want to improve your English while exploring London? This short course helps you develop your English skills through discovering London’s rich history, diverse cultures, and fascinating people. You’ll visit key places around the city, learn about their past and present, and explore how different communities have shaped London. You’ll also carry out your own research, helping you improve your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. By the end of the course, you’ll feel more confident using English and more connected to the culture and life in London.
This course runs during terms 1, 2 and 3.
You need to do a short test before joining. Contact: universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk or call 0204 582 0423
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 £129.00 Concession £90.00 - Touch typing and keyboard skills Course start date: Tue 13 Jan 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you need to learn to type quickly and efficiently? Are you working or do you want to work in administration? Learn how to type with correct finger placement without looking at the keyboard. Build your speed with practice and speed tests. No previous experience required.
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 £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £95.00 - Grammar in practice: upper intermediate (level 1-2) Course start date: Wed 14 Jan 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Unsure when to use the present perfect or past perfect? Still finding reported speech tricky? Need more practice with conditionals? This practical grammar course will help you put your grammar into action in speaking, writing, reading, and listening. Through engaging topics and interactive activities, you’ll learn to choose the right form for the right situation, express yourself clearly, and sound more natural. Ideal for upper-intermediate learners who want to polish their skills for work, study, or everyday life.
This course runs during terms 2 and 3.
A pre-course assessment is required before joining.
Contact: universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk or call 0204 582 0423
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 £289.00 Senior fee £231.00 Concession £145.00 - Learning to use your iPhone Course start date: Mon 9 Mar 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Is your iPhone confusing you? Are you unsure how to make the most of its many features? This short course will help you understand your phone, troubleshoot problems and use some of its most popular features and apps. By the end of the course you will be confident you can use or find out how to use the key features of your phone.
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 £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £25.00 - Grammar in practice: advanced (level 2+) Course start date: Wed 6 May 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Is your grammar holding you back? Enhance your communication skills by exploring, analysing, and experimenting with advanced English grammar. This course will help you understand that grammar is not just about rules—it's about meaning. You'll learn to interpret others more accurately and express yourself more clearly and effectively.
This course runs during terms 1 and 3.
You need to do a short test before joining. Contact: universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk or call 0204 582 0423
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
Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £85.00 - ESOL and making podcasts: pronunciation, presentation, expression (level 1-2) Course start date: Sun 10 May 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you want to improve your pronunciation, learn more about how you sound when you speak English and develop your speaking? A podcast is a digital recording, which can be used in a very practical way to help develop your English. On this course, you will discover how to make and edit a podcast to record yourself as well as what to say and how to say it. You will be able to practise speaking on your own and interviewing others as well as learn how to prepare what to say and how to say it. Podcasting is a fantastic way of improving your pronunciation, your vocabulary, your spoken accuracy, and your fluency.
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).
Please note you will need to download the free Audacity software and have a headset with mic to do this course.
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 £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £85.00
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