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.
- Getting Ready for Maths functional skills level 2Course start date: Fri 9 May 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
You will learn techniques to understand the non-calculator section of the functional skills Level 2 Maths syllabus. You will develop your mathematical skills and knowledge to work with numbers including fractions, percentages, ratio and to work out area and perimeter. This non-accredited course (no exam) will give you the opportunity demonstrate a sound grasp of the underpinning skills and basics of maths appropriate to level 2, and to apply mathematical thinking to solve simple problems in familiar situations. By the end of the course, you will have an inhouse written assessment which will allow your tutor to progress you to the accredited course, where you can get your Functional Skills level 2 Maths qualification.Full fee £0.00 - Grammar in practice: advanced (level 2+)
Course start date: Wed 7 May 2025 (and 2 other dates)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
Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £90.00 - Grammar in practice: upper intermediate (level 1-2) Course start date: Fri 9 May 2025 (and 2 other dates)
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
Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00
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