Adults who are considering a career change following the pandemic are being invited to consider a college course to help them gain the skills and qualifications they need to succeed in high-demand job roles.

North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College (NWSLC) is preparing for the start of the new academic year by launching its latest range of part-time courses based at its ampus and in local workplaces.

Research indicates that three out of five adults are considering a career change after the Covid challenges they faced caused them to re-evaluate their lives. This may have been prompted by health concerns, the impact of lone working, or the desire to relocate or move house to be closer to open spaces or family members. Others have re-evaluated their career prospects based on trends for future demand with careers in logistics, the digital and healthcare sectors reporting skills gaps and vacancies.

From September 2021, students will be able to start training in a range of disciplines and put themselves in the best position to snap up job roles across several sectors including:

Accounting

Counselling

Teaching and education

Hairdressing and beauty therapy

Electrical installations

Welding

Catering and hospitality.

In addition, the college is providing access to essential general skills including maths and English, the building blocks for many subject-specific qualifications that enable students to progress on to further and higher education.

At the college's specialist MIRA Technology Institute Campus, designed to support the automotive sector, short courses are available that address electric vehicle awareness, battery systems, hybrid and electric vehicle safety, maintenance, and repair.

Leisure-based courses including French and Spanish, and floristry are also available. It is expected that all tuition will take place on campus in classrooms and workshops which have been re-organised to maintain Covid safety standards.

Marion Plant, OBE FCGI, Principal and Chief Executive of NWSLC said, "With the employment rate rising to 75 per cent and gradually returning to pre-pandemic levels, the job market is beginning to look more buoyant. There are encouraging signs of economic recovery within the regional markets we support. Forecasts suggest that the UK economy will grow by more than eight per cent this year, before returning to pre-pandemic levels of around six per cent in 2022.

"Colleges are leading the way to help reenergise the UK economy and it is our mission to introduce skilled and work-ready individuals to employers across the region."

As part of its role as the college at the centre of the community, NWSLC responded to the Government's 'Plan for Jobs' by launching its Community Skills Hub last year. This resource provides access to all the information, advice and guidance that is available to support adults that want to up-skill to progress their careers, or retrain in areas reporting skills gaps.

The NWSLC Community Skills Hub offer includes:

Bootcamps in software development and coding that will open the doors to vacancies through our dedicated Digital Skills Academy

A wide range of apprenticeship opportunities with support to find vacancies and succeed in interviews

Pathways to the Kickstart job scheme for those at risk of long-term unemployment

Free Level 3 courses for adults in priority sectors through the Lifetime Skills Guarantee

Free online short courses leading to Level 2 and 3 qualifications that help individuals to improve their skills or retrain

Help with English and maths qualifications

Ways to prepare for university and routes into higher-level study.

For more information browse the apprenticeship vacancies on their website or call 0330 058 3000.