Furloughed? Made redundant? Now is the time to up-skill
Lockdown has, for many of us, been a time for learning new things. If you are one of the 9.6 million people on furlough in the UK, or have recently been made redundant, this could be the perfect moment to reskill.
While lockdown learners have picked up a wide variety of fun skills, such as the craze for crafting sourdough or beekeeping, you can also use this time not in work to take a professional course that could transform your future.
According to a survey conducted by Good Things Foundation, 67% of workers on furlough are “keen” to learn new skills in a bid to hold onto their current role or to better prepare for seeking a new job. The most sought-after skills, according to the survey, are how to use standard office and administration tools such as word processing, spreadsheets and emails (27%), and social media (22%). Other popular courses being sought out by those on furlough include communications (20%), management (17%) and IT skills (16%).
“This is a stressful time for many people, but the uncertainty furloughed workers are facing is causing them significant stress and hardship,” said Helen Milner, chief executive of Good Things Foundation. “While learning new things online might feel intimidating, our research shows most people pick things up quickly.”
During lockdown, Free2Learn has created a range of online learning courses that can help you to improve your professional skills, or learn something completely new that could help a transition to a new career. More than 50 classes a week are being held online, with subjects relating to the security, construction, warehousing and beauty industries.
Browse the 12 online courses offered by Free2Learn below, and consider using this time out of work to reskill, retrain and reenergise your career. Which would you choose?
Security and Loss Prevention + SIA Licence
The Security and Loss Prevention programme has been designed to incorporate the evolving needs and demands of a variety of employers and employment conditions
This programme will allow you to earn the qualifications needed to work as a close protection officer, including a Level 3 SIA close protection certificate
Construction + CSCS Green Card
This course will help you develop core skills such as health and safety know how and get you vital certificates that will allow you to work on a construction site
Discover Beauty – Short Course
Designed by qualified beauty therapy tutors to help you develop your skills, confidence and knowledge of the exciting, creative and fast-growing beauty world
Warehouse, Supply Chain and Logistics
Retail knowledge, forklift truck driving and customer service are all core skills you will learn on this course, which will help you aim for a job in this booming industry
Functional Skills – Maths and English
Get high-quality qualifications in English and Maths that will improve your reading, writing and numeracy skills on a course suitable for English and non-English speakers
This programme covers key industry topics, such as security, alarms, fire detection and CCTV, and you will also gain a nationally recognised Security Industry Authority licence
If you are interested in beauty therapy, make-up or nail technology and would like to turn your passion into a career, this course will help you brush up on your beauty skills
Created in partnership with betterWeld, this course will give you the right training to join this industry and will also provide introductions to employers in the sector
Start your next job armed with dynamic skills in administration, personal development, customer service and team leading after taking this multi-faceted course
Understanding Business Improvement Techniques
On this course you will develop skills in problem solving, improvement techniques and visual management systems that will allow you to support a growing business
Make sure you have the right skills to navigate the ever-changing digital landscape and get up to date on topics such as data safety and online communication
