Developing your Skills in Stockport
Need to develop new skills to help you find work or progress your career? There are so many opportunities for Stockport residents to take advantage of free training courses from local providers to upskill, reskill and learn something new.
In today’s job market, your learning journey doesn’t end when you leave full-time education. You’ll continue building transferable skills, learning new ways of working and developing your expertise during every job role you undertake. This may be with structured training and gaining formal qualifications or through on-the-job learning and coaching.
Whilst you’re looking for work, changing jobs or even still in employment, undertaking a training course can help you upskill or reskill and boost your future job prospects. The great news is that many courses available to adult learners (aged 18+) are ‘fully funded’ which means there is no cost to you.
Training Providers
Find out more about the local Training Providers and free Programmes available in Stockport
Free Adult Courses from 18+
There are so many training courses available to Stockport residents to help you develop the skills you need for employment or to boost your career.
Most are fully funded, which means they are free of charge to complete, but this can be dependent on your age, postcode and whether you are currently in work or full-time education. Courses range from accounting to childcare, construction to manufacturing, IT to digital marketing. Some are delivered in-person at local training centres or workplaces, some are delivered online (e-learning) and others are a mix of the two.
Finding free Courses to suit you
You can find out about free courses to help you get a job by searching on the National Careers Service website or by browsing the new course directory on EmployGM.
Local colleges also offer a range of free or low-cost adult courses. Whether you’re interested in full-time, part-time, or evening classes, there’s something for everyone. These courses encompass diverse subjects, from bookkeeping to landscaping to teaching training, empowering you to change careers or acquire new skills at any stage of your professional journey.
Explore Careers in Stockport
Find out about the entry requirements, qualifications and training courses needed to build or grow your career in different industries.
Pre-Employment Courses
Pre-Employment Courses are free short courses that help you develop the specific skills you’ll need for a particular job, industry or employer.
Lasting a few days up to 16 weeks, they are a great way to learn more about the work you’ll be doing, often gaining recognised certificates or accreditations. Many pre-employment courses are linked directly to a local employer, which means you’ll be offered a guaranteed job interview once you’ve successfully completed the course.
There are a few different types of pre-employment course, including Skills Bootcamps (for those aged 19+ in a range of sectors such as digital and technology, construction and green skills) and Sector-Based Work Academy Programmes or SWAPs (for those who are claiming either Universal Credit, Jobseeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance).
Apprenticeships & Traineeships
Apprenticeships are a great way to gain a qualification and get paid at the same time. They are available at any age or stage in your career, from entry level (Level 1) to intermediate (Level 3 – equivalent to A-Levels) to advanced (Level 7 – equivalent to a masters’ degree!)
There is no cost to complete an apprenticeship and, unlike other training courses, you apply for an apprenticeship in the same way as you apply for a job. You will spend 80% of your time completing on-the-job duties with your employer, then 20% of your time undertaking on-the-job training, often with an external training provider. Apprenticeships can last from 12 months to 5 years depending on the course.
