Barnsley College launches new course guide for adults

@BarnsleyCollege is offering brand new courses that will inspire adults to return to education and enrol on a course starting from September 2021.

Rated outstanding by Ofsted, Barnsley College offers a range of part-time vocational courses, apprenticeships and university-level courses taught by expert tutors that can be studied from home, in a classroom, the workplace or via distance learning.

Many courses can be studied part-time, making them perfect for anyone wanting to fit study around work or family commitments. You’ll learn in a supportive and helpful environment with small class sizes and be able to get in touch with your tutors easily when required.

A range of part-time courses are available, including Animal Care; Art, Design and Fashion; Business; Catering and Hospitality; Digital and Computing; Engineering; Hair and Beauty; Health and Social Care Professions; Learning for Living and Work; Management; Music and Performing Arts; and Sport.

The College is also offering those aged 19 and above the opportunity to gain recognised English, Maths and ICT qualifications for free. Plus, students who enrol onto a Level 3 course or above may be entitled to study for free or apply for an Advanced Learner Loan or financial support to help them cover the costs of study, subject to eligibility criteria.

Barnsley College Higher Education (HE) offers higher-level programmes including foundation and honours degrees, Higher Apprenticeships, HNCs, HNDs and professional business and leadership courses.

Whether you have an interest in childcare, sport, fine art or popular music, the College offers courses in a wide range of subjects.

We also get great results! In 2019/20 all our degree students got a 2:2 or above and 82% of our degree students received a first, so whilst you may be staying local, you can certainly go far.

Barnsley College Higher Education is the best South Yorkshire College for student satisfaction, with an 88% overall student satisfaction rate in the 2019/20 National Student Survey (NSS). 

If you want to study a degree but don’t have the right qualifications, our Access to HE courses can help. These courses are designed to help you develop your knowledge within your chosen subject whilst improving your study skills and build confidence to help you get the grades required to study a higher-level course. 

Mel Jenkinson, Director of Recruitment, Marketing and Communications at the College, said:

“The current COVID-19 situation has led to a number of people reassessing their life ambitions and career options. We have a wide range of qualifications on offer for those thinking of returning to education to gain an academic qualification, learn something new for fun or to enhance their CV.

“We want to reassure all prospective students that there is a place for them at Barnsley College. By completing an application form on our website, they will start their journey to becoming a student here – and we will be with them every step of the way.

“For any adults who are unsure of their options or would like further guidance, our Information Advisors are still available to offer information, advice and guidance about any of our study programmes.”

Barnsley College to launch free digital skills training for adults 

16th Jul 2021: Adults who want to develop their digital skills to get into employment and progress in their career are being offered fully-funded training.

A South Yorkshire consortium has been selected to offer Skills Bootcamps – part of the government’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee and Plan for Jobs.

The Government’s Skills Bootcamp training programmes will be expanded across the country, offering an extra 16,000 places for adults to upskill or retrain at no extra cost to students.

The expansion covers a range of digital and technical training including in green skills, such as solar energy installation, sustainable agriculture, nuclear energy, and green transport, along with coding and software development, so more adults have the opportunity to access the skills and training they need that leads directly to a job.

Skills Bootcamps are flexible courses of up to 16 weeks that provide the opportunity to build sector-specific skills and fast-track to an interview with a local employer.

The free vocational training scheme, funded by the government’s National Skills Fund, aims to help adults aged 19 and over to improve their job prospects.

The training is open to adults who are employed, self-employed or career changers. It is also open to those who have become unemployed within the last 12 months.

The College will be providing Skills Bootcamps in digital skills, backed by employers, from September 2021. The specific Skills Bootcamps include infrastructure technician, software development technician and cyber security technologist.

David Akeroyd, Deputy Principal Development and Productivity at Barnsley College, said: “Barnsley College is addressing the digital skills gap and digital poverty and the Skills Bootcamps is the latest expansion of our digital offer.

“Colleges must continue to rise to the challenge and offer solutions that drive the future economy, meet the nation’s skills gaps, and present an opportunity for real progression to learners.

“We believe that every adult has the right to life-long education and training, ensuring they have the skills to succeed in the new and future economy. Adult learning drives the economy by ensuring that workers are more skilled, more productive, and happier.

“Our ongoing, ambitious programme of working with employers, co-developing our curriculum, and building impactful partnerships within the region and beyond, offers a real chance for us as a College, and as a sector, to play a huge part in the future economic recovery and success of the country.”

The scheme is part of the government’s Skills for Jobs White Paper, first announced in January 2021 that aims to support lifelong learning and put further education colleges at the heart of the pandemic skills recovery.

The South Yorkshire Skills Bootcamps consortium includes Barnsley College, The Sheffield College, RNN Group, Sheffield Hallam University and The Developer Academy.