Fancy a new start? Looking to progress or change career in the New Year? Cardiff and Vale College is offering a huge range of courses for adults that start from January 2024 - and many of them are free or have low fees.
There’s a wide range of courses to develop your skills to grow or change your career, including popular professional qualifications, with the fee removed for many working adults. The courses are also designed for adults so you can fit learning around your working hours, family life or other commitments.
Kyriacos Kanias was a barber by trade, but after 25 years he fancied a career change.
“I’ve had a lot of health issues and I’ve been struggling with the job so I wanted to study and change career,” he explained. “At 50 I decided to get back into learning and it’s been great!”
Having had some prior experience of IT, Kyriacos chose CAVC’s BSc degree in Cyber Security, graduating in the summer.
“It’s been exciting and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” Kyriacos said. “It was great and I’m going to miss coming here. I’m even going to miss the pressure a little bit because I enjoyed it so much! I’m in a position now where I can look for employment in a new career path.
“The College has definitely helped me achieve my ambitions. I’d say to anyone looking to do a course like this come here – the classes are small so you almost get one-to-one tuition and in most universities I don’t think that’s possible.”
There's also Access courses for progression to university, Adult Basic Education Courses for those wishing to develop their skills and short courses for people to develop an interest.
Kath Fraser was working as an NVQ Assessor in the Waste Industry but was looking for more secure employment. She’d always loved trucks and getting an HGV license had always been on her bucket list.
CAVC offers a wide range of free courses for employed adults under the Welsh Government funded Personal Learning Account (PLA) programme. The courses offer professional qualifications in sectors that are growing in the region and that local employers are looking for.
“I studied the Class 1 HGV PLA course with Cardiff and Vale College and Road to logistics,” she said. “A Class 1 license was something I’d always wanted - a couple of my work colleagues had already undertaken it.”
Unfortunately, around the time Kath applied she was diagnosed with breast cancer. However, the flexible nature of the course meant it could be worked around her busy schedule as she could not afford to give up work.
“I enjoyed studying the course because I was going through breast cancer treatment and I was working full-time as well,” Kath explained. “I was able to fit it around the treatments, personal life and working life.”
Kath’s treatment was successful, and she now works for Cardiff Council.
“I get the opportunity to go out and drive a truck,” Kath said. “I’m able to go out into the waste vehicles and I pick up the waste for Cardiff Council – it’s really great.
“I would definitely recommend a PLA course from Cardiff and Vale College to friends or family just for ease of applying and how it can fit around your lifestyle. It worked for me.”
For a full list of courses for adults or to apply go to: https://cavc.ac.uk/coursesforadults
Applications for all courses are online at https://cavc.ac.uk/coursesforadults. CAVC is also hosting a Courses for Adults Drop In Session on Wednesday 17th January, 4.00pm-7.00pm at its City Centre Campus for adults to chat with teachers or find out if they are eligible for free learning.
Cardiff and Vale College Principal Sharon James-Evans said: “We’re pleased to be offering such a wide range of courses for adults from the start of 2024. Each year thousands of adults learn with us to gain professional qualifications to progress or change their career – and we see the impact that can make.
We offer courses that provide the skills and qualifications that employers need. Some of our training programmes are also unique, and our work with employers supports people into jobs that are needed and they want. We also have a large number of adults who join us to develop their skills for work, life and supporting their families.
“With funding still available to enable us to offer these courses for free or with reduced fees for many, now is the time to learn with Cardiff and Vale College.”