What Education do you want?
From GCSEs to degrees, there are educational opportunites out there to cover all your needs!
If you're looking at further education it's important to understand what you are doing it for and what you really need to do to succeed.
For example, you may set your sights on a degree to enter teacher training but do you have the GCSE Maths that you also need?
Read on and learn about some of the many routes to acheiving the qualifications you desire...
Adult Education Centres
For those of you who need to go back to get those essential GSCE's your first port of call is your local 'adult education centre'. These centre's are popping up all over the UK and offer a great service, not just GCSE's but vocational courses too. They try to provide courses that are needed within the community so if it's not on the list then just ask and they may have a list of others who also want the same course once the required numbers are met.basic education courses
I've talked to a few mum's who have retaken their English and Math's GCSE's and they are so proud of themselves. One of the main things they were really relieved about was that they weren't treated as inadequate or like a school child but as an adult who has the guts, commitment and confidence to try again. The pass rate within adult education is far higher, as those sitting the exams have choosen to do it unlike at school. The mum's I know who have done this course have now gone on to do further courses in accountancy and book keeping and IT courses...plus one went on to do soft furnishings and now has her own successful business. For funding options click here. careers advice
Long distance Learning
If you have been away from education for several years and want to opt for a degree or a professional qualification one of the best ways to check that home studying (or studying at all) is right for you is to start off with an access or openings course.
The Open University have several courses that offer a taster of things to come. I did an introductory course when I had my first daughter and really enjoyed the challenge of essay writing and reading course work and generally making time to study. Not only does this course help to boost your confidence but it also helps you to decide if home learning is right for you and what course you want to take next.
It doesn't necessarily have to be with the Open university there are several other very good colleges that offer distance learning courses.
There are lots of ways of gaining funding or financial help see adult learning grant.
* You can use TESCO points to pay for open University courses!
Local Colleges
Visit your local college, request prospectives or look on their website. Colleges all offer part time courses that are not only vocational but academic. You could study to be come a solicitor or a brick layer. hotcourses yell
NVQ's (National Vocational Qualification's)
NVQ's are occupational qualifications. If you are going back to work but want to further your career and there are NVQ's or similar that relate to your career most employers are more than happy to release you for this training. Some may fund it depending on the size of the organisation. Assessment of NVQ's generally is carried out in the workplace through observation and questions/interviews along with workbooks.
For instance if you work in a nursery but want to gain your NVQ1 this is a free course as long as you are working over 10 hours per week.
Vocational Training
For those of you who want to get into work such as teaching, nursing there are specific colleges that offer this training.
For instance you want to go into nursing. Your are more likely to be offered a place if you have already shown some commitment to gaining experience. Some friends of mine worked as support staff/auxillaries in hospitals or have done bank work with an agency. This can be more flexible although a little unsociable. Other ways of gaining experience are to become a specialist worker with the NCT - this involves study and training but does look very good if you aim to go into midwifery. The thing you need to remember is that once you are a trained NCT antenatal teacher you need to stay committed to this as well as studying midwifery as you are contracted to remain a teacher for at least three years in order to recoup your training costs.
Whatever you decide it is hard work and you will need your family to be behind you.