As the new year begins, most of us have ambitions to be our best selves and create new years resolutions that not only help us grow, but are achievable as well.
When it comes to learning something new or taking the next step towards your dream career, Wirral Met College has a range of courses. From free* adult courses to university-level qualifications, there is something for everyone.
Free courses for jobs
Start the new year as you mean to go on by signing up for an adult course at Wirral Met, starting from January 2023.
These courses can help you to gain valuable skills to progress in your job and boost your chances of employment by earning a professional qualification in your chosen field.
If you are aged 19 and over many of the adult short courses on offer at Wirral Met are free* if you live in the Liverpool City Region, are currently unemployed, or earn below the National Living Wage of £18,525 per year or £1,544 per month.
Whether it’s a one-day course to learn a specialist skill, an online or on-campus course to fit around you, Wirral Met can support you to achieve your new year career goals.
Start your journey to university
When it comes to education and gaining qualifications, thinking ahead can allow you to plan your time effectively. Applications are now open for the Wirral Met’s Access to Higher Education courses starting September 2023.
The one-year courses require a commitment of two days per week, meaning that you can fit work or home life around your studies. The Access to Higher Education qualifications are designed to help you gain the skills you will need to successfully apply for a university-level course.
No matter what kind of university course you are looking to study, or which kind of career path you are looking to go down, Wirral Met has a range of Access to Higher Education courses for you to choose from, including: Biomedical Science, Midwifery and Professions Allied to Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health Professions, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Psychology and Mental Health, and Sociology and Criminology.
One person who chose Wirral Met to help him achieve a qualification to work towards his dream career is Chris Stockton. Chris started his journey to university with an Access to Psychology and Mental Health course at Wirral Met last year and is now studying a degree in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Wellbeing at Edge Hill University. He said: “I didn’t believe I was academically smart enough to do this really, but the more it went on and the first grades I got were merits and I thought ok I can do this.
“With the support of my tutors, I started getting distinctions and my confidence got better. I loved coming to college on a Friday because I knew we would have a laugh and that’s what is most important about coming to college – it’s about being able to enjoy it. I chose to do the course because I wanted to better myself and to change people’s point of view of how mental health is perceived.”
Did you know, if you take out an Advanced Learner Loan to cover fees for an Access to HE course, and then successfully complete a degree, you don’t have to repay the outstanding loan for the Access to HE course.
Study now, pay later – access funding to support your education
If you want to take your career to the next level or simply get back into education after taking time off, but are worried about the cost, Wirral Met has plenty of options to help you cover your course fees including access to funding.
Don’t let the cost of studying put you off achieving your goals, many short courses are free* for adult learners, but if you do have to pay an Advanced Learner Loan can help you study now and pay later.
An Advanced Learner Loan is not dependent on income or employment status and repayments don’t start until the April after you have finished your course, and until you earn more than £27,295** per year.
And if you take out an Advanced Learner Loan to cover fees for an Access to HE course, and then successfully complete a degree, you don’t have to repay the outstanding loan for the Access to HE course.
Depending on your circumstances, you may also be eligible for a Wirral Met bursary to help pay for childcare, travel and other costs. Find out more here.
Taking the first step
Sometimes, taking the first step to get back into education can be the hardest. Good maths and English skills are two things that are essential not only to the world of work and study, but to everyday life as well.
Wirral Met offers GCSE and Functional Skills qualifications that are flexible courses to help you fit study around your current commitments. If you are aged 19 and above and have not achieved a grade of C/4 or above at GCSE level, then you may be eligible to enrol on an English or maths course for free.
Whether you need certain skills and qualifications to progress in your line of work, or you simply want to improve your current knowledge, Wirral Met can help.
To find out more about how an education can help you achieve your goals, visit the Wirral Met website here.
* All free courses are clearly marked on the website and subject to Terms and Conditions and eligibility criteria. View the full Terms and Conditions here or contact us now on 0151 551 7777.
**This figure is subject to change, visit www.gov.uk for more information.
