If you are looking for work, need to get a better job, or want to improve your work skills, the WEA is here for you. We have a great track record of helping people like you gain the skills and confidence they need for work. Best of all, most of our work skills courses are free*.    

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You can improve your job opportunities with the WEA.  

Reach your potential  

We know you can reach your potential in three simple steps:  

  • Build your confidence and essential skills  
  • Develop skills related to specific types of jobs  
  • Progress in your current job by boosting your current skills and learning new ones  

Supportive classes

The WEA and our team of supportive tutors are here for you at every step.  Whether you’re a jobseeker, have recently been made redundant or you simply want to move up the ladder, we have a course for you.   

Improve your English, maths or digital skills to earn more money.  Find courses in health and social care, community interpreting, schools and childcare and more.   

Find out more about job hunting, take courses to become more employable or change your career. Boost your employability skills and stand out on that job application.    

Learn your way with the WEA

Take a short, informal course or gain a national qualification. Learning in a classroom, in a work setting or at home, you’ll always have the same great support from your tutor.  

There’s something for everyone.

*Over 90% of applicants for skills courses do not need to pay a fee. Subject to status  - courses are free for unemployed people, job seekers and people on low wage. If you do not qualify you will be alerted during the application process.

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This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Entry Level Digital Skills: Digital Skills for life & Work

This course is delivered in partnership with Wolverhampton City Council and the Old School, for existing students on the Language@Work programme. Gain confidence in facing situations that require digital skills. Build on your basic computer skills in this introduction course and see how digital training can help to transform your life. This Digital Skills course is for people who want to improve their computer skills. Digital training teaches you skills for learning, life, and work. . Your friendly, positive tutor will guide you and there will be opportunity for practise.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 20/01/2025 -
Mon 31/03/2025
Times:
11:30am - 1:30pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
The Old School Building (Wolverhampton)
The Old School
73 Dudley Road
Wolverhampton
WV2 3BY
Tutor:
Saima Gulzar
Course code:
Q00015709
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £92.40

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Personal Development: Mind at Work

This course is put on in partnership with Wolverhampton City Council and Job Centre Plus. Are you unemployed and looking for work but experiencing mental health issues? These might include, but not be limited to, stress, anxiety, depression, panic attacks or post traumatic stress. This free support programme will help you to cope better with these challenges and discover techniques and strategies to use in every day life. There is an information and registration day on Monday, 15 April 10am-12pm. Please bring photo ID. This course is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 20/01/2025 -
Mon 24/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
The Old School Building (Wolverhampton)
The Old School
73 Dudley Road
Wolverhampton
WV2 3BY
Tutor:
Jayne Evans
Course code:
Q00015669
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Professional Development: Are You Ready to be a Manager?

What makes a good manager? What are the difference between the skills you need to employ as a good manager and those you demonstrate as a competent team player? What is the difference between a manager and a leader and what style of management or leadership may be appropriate for you and your organisation? We will investigate whether there are any personal skill gaps and how you might fill these. Bringing together both theory and practice, this course will help you plot your course to a future management role, and help you plan your route to your new role. You may be a newly promoted manager, or perhaps you want to identify whether you are ready. Join this class to find out more.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 22/01/2025 -
Wed 22/01/2025
Times:
6:30pm - 9:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kate Antoniou
Course code:
Q00012169
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Professional Development: An Introduction to Coaching and Mentoring

Are you involved with working with others to help them to develop their talents? This may be in connection with your job, or possibly as part of a volunteering role, or interest. Find out from this course how Coaching and Mentoring can help to unlock other people’s potential in order to achieve their goals. We will be looking at how to use various techniques to help others identify their goals and work together to go through their short and long term options and commit to actions towards meeting these. If you are looking to support and nurture talent in others, helping to inspire others to hone new skills or career or person direction this is a good place to start.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 05/02/2025 -
Wed 05/02/2025
Times:
6:30pm - 9:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kate Antoniou
Course code:
Q00012167
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
  • Access an archive of over 100 past lectures,
  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
  • Receive our Highway magazine and access back issues,
  • Attend our members’ annual conference.

Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
WEA Membership

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Essential Digital Skills Level 1

Build your confidence using digital skills in your personal life and in the workplace. Understand how digital programmes and services can enhance your everyday life and simplify common tasks. Learn skills employers look for and improve your job prospects. If you’d like to learn digital skills for a better life, this course will teach you everything you need to know. This Level 1 digital skills course is suitable for improvers, as you will build upon your current digital device knowledge. Learn how to use the Microsoft Office programmes: create and edit text documents in Word, create spreadsheets and use number calculations in Excel, and use PowerPoint to create presentations. These are universal digital skills employers look for and can help you in a variety of job roles. This course is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 10/02/2025 -
Mon 10/03/2025
Times:
11:45am - 1:45pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Ekta Vishrolia
Course code:
Q00015535
How you'll learn:
Online and in venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £150.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Professional Development: Preparing to work in the UK intermediate

Are you looking for work in the UK or thinking of starting work in the UK? If you have never worked in the UK or worked abroad but limited experience of working in the UK, this course is for you. The course is designed to support to improve your spoken and written English when thinking about your work skills and the type of work you are interest in. You will take part in mock interviews and help each other to practice your English through informal activities and discussion to prepare you for the world of work and improve your confidence. This course is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 17/02/2025 -
Mon 17/03/2025
Times:
12:45pm - 2:45pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Ladywood Childrens Centre
9 Plough & Harrow Road
Birmingham
B16 8UR
Tutor:
Saima Gulzar
Course code:
Q00015564
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £42.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Understanding the Role of a Community Interpreter

Are you bilingual? Ever thought about using your language skills to help out in the community? Did you know you can get many jobs with languages? If you speak English and another language fluently, you could make a great community interpreter. This community interpreter course gives you an introduction to the language and interpreting skills needed for this type of work. It can teach you foundational concepts to test your community interpreting skills informally with family or friends. This course can prepare you to help members of your family or community to overcome language barriers in their everyday lives. It can also help you decide if you’re interested in pursuing community interpreting jobs.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 24/02/2025 -
Wed 26/03/2025
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Olena Kolesnyk
Course code:
Q00015759
How you'll learn:
Online and in venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Understanding the Role of a Community Interpreter

Are you bilingual? Ever thought about using your language skills to help out in the community? Did you know you can get many jobs with languages? If you speak English and another language fluently, you could make a great community interpreter. This community interpreter course gives you an introduction to the language and interpreting skills needed for this type of work. It can teach you foundational concepts to test your community interpreting skills informally with family or friends. This course can prepare you to help members of your family or community to overcome language barriers in their everyday lives. It can also help you decide if you’re interested in pursuing community interpreting jobs.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 24/02/2025 -
Wed 26/03/2025
Times:
9:30am - 11:30am
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Olena Kolesnyk
Course code:
Q00015758
How you'll learn:
Online and in venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Award in Preparation for Work in Community Interpreting Level 2

The role of the community interpreter is an integral part of our changing communities and increasingly important. The interpreter acts as a bridge between communities and enables people to access the services they need and approach situations which otherwise would not be possible. The Level 2 Certificate in Preparing for the Community Interpreting Role enables learners who are speakers of other languages to develop the language and skills necessary to go on and train as Community Interpreters at Level 3 and Level 4. This is the ideal qualification for anyone who wants to enter the interpreting profession and become a paid interpreter or volunteer in the UK. This course is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 27/02/2025 -
Thu 03/07/2025
Times:
9:15am - 12:15pm
Duration:
16 sessions
Location:
Dolphin Women's Centre (Birmingham)
Ward End Park
Washwood Heath Road
Birmingham
B8 2HB
Tutor:
Fozia Aslam
Course code:
Q00015534
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £300.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Professional Development: Employability Skills

Are you looking to upskill for employment? Then attend this course and boost your employability skills. If you’re entering the workforce for the first time or after a long break, this course can teach you essential skills employers look for and prepare you for the transition. Learn basic skills for jobs in any sector as well as key soft skills for your CV. Feel confident stepping into the workforce. This course will provide you with the soft skills required to get that job and give you the confidence and self-esteem to sell what you have to offer to potential employers.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 03/03/2025 -
Thu 06/03/2025
Location:
Seetec Pluss Bournemouth
G.01 & Meeting room 1a
Oxford Point
19 Oxford Road
Bournemouth
BH8 8GS
Course code:
Q00017095
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £63.00