Apply for training courses

If you're an adult aged 19 or over, you can apply for help to gain qualifications that are equivalent to GCSE and A-Levels.

The courses can help you to:

• gain a qualification
• build skills
• train in a new sector

These courses are offered through the Adult Skills Fund (ASF).

Some courses are free and available for everyone.

Some of the courses are only free if you're on a low income or receive benefits.

To be eligible for any ASF course, you have to be:

• 19 or over
• living in Buckinghamshire at the start of your course
• legally allowed to live and study in the UK

Your training provider will check your eligibility before you enrol.

You may be eligible for a free course if you:

• are unemployed
• are looking for work
• are economically inactive
• are employed (or self-employed) and earn less than £26,800
• want to improve your English or maths and do not already have a GCSE at grade 4/C or above
• need to improve your essential digital skills
• are 19 to 23 and do not already have a full Level 2 or Level 3 qualification

If you're not eligible for free courses, you may still be eligible for discounted courses.

Contact our providers to learn which courses you can access.

There are many subjects that the qualifications cover. They include:

• construction
• digital skills
• English and maths
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
• health and social care
• leadership and management
• warehousing and distribution

Many courses are delivered by local colleges and training providers.

You may want to contact a provider that is near you. Or one that offers services in a subject you're interested in.

Contact the providers directly for more information:

• Buckinghamshire Adult Learning
• Buckinghamshire College Group
• Windsor Forrest Colleges Group
• MK College
• Capital City College
• AKG (UK) Learning Ltd
• JBC Skills Training Ltd
• Burleigh College
• Professional Training Solutions Limited
• Staff Power Group

We understand that looking for a job can be difficult. We offer different ways to help you.

View our help pages:

• ongoing support to help you find a job (Connect to Work)
• free short courses for in-demand jobs (Skills Bootcamps)
• view support available for different circumstances (BEST)

You can learn more about how the courses are funded on our Adult Skills Fund page.

You should contact learning providers directly for help finding courses.
If you have questions about the scheme or how we can help, email [email protected]