09 Mar ACL Essex highlights the value of upskilling during National Careers Week
Adult education provider, ACL Essex, is marking National Careers Week (7th – 12th March) with a new push to encourage people to fulfil their career ambitions through upskilling. Up until April 30th, ACL Essex is offering the counties residents the chance to gain a qualification for free.
Attaining new skills and qualifications specifically for employment can make the world of difference to people’s ability to make the next step in their career journey. Whether they’re looking for their first job, have been out of the workplace for a while – through furlough, redundancy or family reasons, or are simply thinking of a change of direction, upskilling can help people find the opportunities – and the confidence – to make a positive change and achieve their career goals.
With this in mind, ACL Essex offers a broad range of courses suitable for those looking to boost their skills, their employment prospects, and their self-belief. They’re also perfect for staff training, where employers want to support their employees’ career development, as well as bring new skills and knowledge into the business.
A host of practical skills-based courses are available to support new and developing careers in technology, digital and media; business, management and finance; beauty, complementary therapies and hairdressing; early years and education; creative industries; and science, health, medical and care. From Level 1 and 2 courses (GCSE equivalent) right through to Level 4 and 5 qualifications, as well as exciting apprenticeship opportunities for those who want to study and earn at the same time, there’s a host of options to choose from to supercharge people’s capabilities and take the next step on their career ladder. Many of the courses are available as a remote-learning option, as well as being taught in the classroom.
ACL Essex’s Principal, Katherine Burns, believes post-lockdown many people are looking to upskill or retrain to further their career development. She says: “There’s never been a better time to go after your career ambitions. I think the pandemic has given us all a wake-up call to consider what we really want from life, and as work is such a big part of that, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing lots of people re-focus their ambitions and take steps to make their dream career happen,”
She added: “We’re passionate about helping all our students fulfil their potential and get the career they really want, so we not only offer the sorts of courses that really improve people’s prospects, but we are always on hand to help and support them, ensuring that they can achieve the results they desire, and ultimately secure the job that suits them best.”
ACL Essex offers a wide range of qualifications and skills at their centres across the county and online. They also offer apprenticeships and professional learning, as well as core subjects, such as English, Maths, Science and Digital Skills. There’s also supported learning for people with learning difficulties, creative and cultural learning, mental health and wellbeing, plus community and family learning.
ACL Essex, part of Essex County Council, is the largest provider of adult education in the county. Its aim is to provide learners with as many ways to flourish as possible, to be there in communities across Essex, to make a difference to residents and businesses, so they can make a difference for themselves and to the places that they live in.
Learners enrolling onto a course which leads to a qualification may be entitled to financial support with course fees, resources such as textbooks or equipment, IT equipment (including access to Wi-Fi), transport costs and childcare. In addition, ACL Essex offers support to help learners start and stay in learning, if they have a recognised need, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, mental health, anxiety, processing, sight and hearing difficulties, mobility, learning difficulties, ASD etc.
