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Flexible programmes for adult learners

Introducing Adult Skills with City & Guilds

City & Guilds provides a wide range of qualifications (Awards, Certificates and Diplomas), from entry level to level 3, which are funded by the Adult Education Budget (AEB), level 3 Free Courses for Jobs funding, or the 19+ Advanced Learner Loans opportunity.

Our Adult Skills courses are a great stepping-stone to gain relevant skills in the changing workplace. We’ve worked with employers and local authorities to ensure our programmes are both flexible and fit for purpose, giving learners skills they need to succeed in their careers and lives.

Shipley College is delivering City & Guilds Customer Service qualifications to adults who face barriers to work and want to get back into work or enhance their knowledge while in employment.

Watch the Shipley College Case Study to learn more about reskilling and upskilling adults

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Funded course directory

Our 2023/2024 directory lists qualifications that have funding available including AEB, FCFJ, Maths and English and 19+ Adult Learner Loans.

Download the directory

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Funding made clear brochure

Flexible programme for ages 19+, covering all key industries and funding available for adults including AEB.

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Explore our Adult Skills Portfolio

To help you understand the requirements and the many types of funding available to enhance and improve skills, whether you are a provider, employer, or learner.

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A suite of qualifications designed to support speakers of other languages based within the UK to develop their English language skills for work, further learning or everyday life.

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A range of maths and English qualifications and units that are eligible for funding to help individuals progress and succeed.                                                       

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To support your adult delivery and curriculum planning we have developed a range of example delivery plans.                                                                                                                       

Access our plans

Are you a UK employer? You could maximise the use of your AEB funds to support apprenticeships.                                                                                                   

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Ready for Construction and Ready for Social Care’ are City & Guilds short online courses to support learners with training or reskilling by creating a bridge into or back into employment.

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Sessions available where Local Skills Improvement Plans are unpacked for you to see what that means for your provision.                                                                         

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Our Employability Skills qualifications are designed to support individuals in learning- and to develop the key skills.                                                                        

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A range of funded units and short qualifications are available, and a number of our qualifications have sustainability units embedded into them.

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Reports and articles

Lifelong learning, skills for a sustainable future – Read the latest article about the importance of lifelong learning, by David Phillips, MD City & Guilds and ILM.

Digital transformation and the adult education budget – Read our short report focusing on our recommendations to support online learning interventions and funding mechanisms.

Adult Skills webinar series recordings

Adult Skills - Ready for Construction (date: 16 March 2022) – download the slides | watch the recording

Adult Skills - Ready for Social Care (date: 16 March 2022) – download the slides | watch the recording

Adult Skills - Funding and Policy Update (date: 13 October 2021) – download the slides | watch the recording

Adult Skills - Digital Solutions (date: 17 August 2021) – download the slides | watch the recording

Adult Skills - Leadership and Management (date: 27 July 2021) – download the slides | watch the recording

Adult Skills - Health & Care and Childcare (date: 21 July 2021) – download the slides | watch the recording

Adult Skills - Infrastructure (BSE, Construction, Engineering) (date: 08 July 2021) – download the slides | watch the recording

Adult Skills - Employability and maths and English (date: 07 July 2021) – download the slides | watch the recording

Adult Skills - Business and Digital (date: 06 July 2021) – download the slides | watch the recording

Adult Skills - Funding and Policy Update (date: 30 June 2021) – download the slides | watch the recording

"There has never been a more important time for us to focus on reskilling and lifelong learning."

– Kirstie Donnelly, CEO, City & Guilds

"When looking at skills needs across the UK population, industry and job specific skills are ranked most highly at (40%), followed by leadership and management at (32% ) and advanced digital skills at (30%)."

Source: Digital Transformation and the Adult Education Budget Report, City & Guilds and Emsi