14 minute read
Learning Is For Life
Learning
Education brings untold rewards, whatever your age. As Adult Learners’ Week takes place in Wales from 20th to 26th September, we take a look at the many ways you can keep learning throughout your life and the benefits you’ll reap
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DID YOU KNOW? There were almost 1.75 million participants in adult further education and skills in England in 2019/20
As adults, many of us fall into a rut, both personally and professionally, becoming complacent with our abilities and shying away from new challenges. Yet learning can bring great rewards, and continuing our education throughout our lives can have a positive impact not only on our careers but also on our outlook and mental wellbeing.
What’s more, there’s always something new to learn. From pursuing a personal passion and rediscovering basic skills, to embarking on continuing professional development (CPD), the possibilities are endless. Every new skill you learn will have a positive outcome in terms of your health, wellbeing and confidence.
Celebrating learning
September is the perfect time to focus on continuing learning. Not only is it the start of a new school year and the time when many courses begin, it’s also Festival Of Learning’s Have A Go Month and the month in which Adult Learners’ Week takes place in Wales.
Festival Of Learning (www.festivaloflearning.org.uk) is the biggest celebration of lifelong learning in England, championing the benefits of continuing your education and inspiring more people to have a go at learning something new. During Have A Go Month, organisations and learning providers offer free learning activities for adult, which includes taster sessions, online talks, lectures, open days and much more.
In Wales, the annual Adult Learners’ Week, which this year runs from 20th to 26th September, also encourages thousands of adults to continue their education. The campaign, organised by Learning & Work Institute Wales (www.learningandwork.wales), signposts free taster sessions, tutorials and short courses, many of which are now delivered digitally. Both campaigns celebrate the benefits of continuing education, offer advice and guidance, and share the stories of learners who have created new futures for themselves.
Shire’s regions contain a huge number of colleges, universities and other learning providers offering a vast array of academic, practical and CPD courses. Here we round up some of our favourites, whether you’re looking to expand your technical knowledge, want to get back to basics or feel like exploring your creative side…
”Learning brings great rewards, and continuing our education throughout our lives can have a positive impact not only on our careers but on our wellbeing” life
Learning
Five reasons to keep learning 1
It can help you succeed
Having desirable qualifications vastly increases your chances in the job market. Adding to your skillset or knowledge base not only helps you stand out from the crowd, but also has a positive impact on job satisfaction.
It keeps your brain healthy
Research shows that learning keeps brain cells working at optimum levels, limiting cognitive and memory decline as you age. Stretching your brain’s capacity for learning can also build better memory and quicken your processing abilities, which means learning becomes easier the more you do!
It boosts your confi dence
Learning new skills can vastly improve how you feel about yourself. Mastering things gives you a feeling of accomplishment, boosting your confidence in your own capabilities and making you feel ready to take on new challenges.
It keeps you connected
Whether you’re taking a night class, enrolling on a degree course or engaging in an online study group, learning brings people together. This can give you the chance to network with other professionals working in the same field, or simply connect with others who share your passion. Either way, you’ll come out better connected and possibly with a new friends too.
It makes you happier
Learning is linked to feelings of satisfaction, energy and motivation. Embarking on a new project can remind you of your passions and goals, and help you to take steps towards achieving them. The skills you learn can enrich your life and you may discover you’re capable of more than you thought.
life
Create more
Creativity is one of the most essential human characteristics and nurturing it is important for self-awareness and expression. What’s more, there’s evidence that creativity can help with problemsolving, productivity and confidence too. Here are some of the courses available near you
Creative writing
They say everyone has a book in them, and if yours is ready to be put down on paper, why not join a creative writing class and find out how to translate your brilliant ideas into poetry, stories, plays or even a novel? Writers of any level are welcome to join the Write Away Group, which is led by published author Janet Brown and held monthly at Oswestry Library. The friendly and supportive group is open to complete novices as well as practising writers, and Janet will lead you through the process of putting pen to paper in a series of Ready to write? informal exercises that are sure to get the creative juices flowing. Writers can join the group, which next meets from 10am to noon on 3rd September, for just £5 per session. For more information, email janet49brown@btinternet.com. Those looking for more formal training can enrol on Creative Writing Beginners at the Hereford campus of Herefordshire & Ludlow College, which takes place in September, January and April. The eight-week course is aimed at anyone who is setting out to write creatively and will help you understand what’s required to create your own work through teaching, discussion and practice. Focusing on short stories, poems and non-fiction, the classes will enable you to explore different writing techniques and genres, create your own creative writing “toolbox” and get regular feedback on your work.
Drawing
Discover the simple joys of pencil and paper with a life-drawing class that allows you to capture the beauty of the human body. Wrexham
Glyndwr
University runs a short course that introduces students to a range of technical life-drawing principles. Fine art theories will be included across the course to allow both technique and theory to develop in unison, and there will be lots of practical skills sessions along with exercises designed to promote group learning. Budding artists based on the Wirral can also head to West Kirby Arts Centre, which runs regular portrait and figure drawing classes every Monday from 4pm to 6pm for just £15 a week (or £150 for a 12-week course). The sessions are taught by Joe McGillivray, who has been teaching at degree level in art schools for more than 30 years and was previously head of the art school at Wirral Met College. For more information, email joe.mcgill@hotmail.com.
Hone your artistic skills at a life-drawing class
Painting
Whether you’re a seasoned artist or picking up a paintbrush for the first time, why not try an online class and take your painting to the next level? Professional artist Put your thoughts on canvas Andrew Jenkin, based in north Wales, invites artists of every level to join him in his virtual studio, where he’ll guide you through weekly watercolour tutorials. The course consists of weekly video modules with regular feedback via WhatsApp, Zoom and email, and costs £25 per month. You’ll build a solid foundation in watercolour painting, learn various brush techniques and create amazing colour mixes. Visit www.andrewjenkin.co.uk/art-tuition-workshops to learn more.
If you’ve always fancied trying your hand at oil painting, Wrexham Glyndwr University offers a part-time course that takes you back to the very basics, focusing on the fundamental skills of painting in this medium while teaching you how to manipulate the medium in a manner appropriate to the subject.
Grwp Llandrillo Menai, meanwhile, runs an eightweek introductory class to silk painting at Denbigh HWB, teaching you about the materials involved and giving you the opportunity to practise the techniques and create a stunning silk painting that you can take home at the end of the course.
Master the basics
A good grounding in English and maths will not only stand you in good stead for life, but will also help you gain confidence and take the next step on the employment ladder.
Those looking to build confidence can begin with Functional Skills in either maths or English at North Shropshire College, which are aimed at helping you to improve your literacy and numeracy skills in a friendly, relaxed environment. The courses, which are free for all learners over the age of 19 who don’t have a GCSE grade C/4 in maths, will boost your confidence in the subjects and enable you to gain a City & Guilds nationally recognised qualification.
If you want to gain a GCSE, Shrewsbury Colleges Group runs part-time maths and English language GCSEs from its London Road campus. The courses, which are split into several units and assessed via external examination, are free for those who are currently unemployed or on a low income.
Coleg Cambria runs Skills for Adults courses, including Help A Child With English and Maths courses to help parents brush up on their literacy and numeracy skills. The classes aim to give parents a better understanding of how the subjects are now taught in schools and how to support their children.
Learn a language
Developing your language skills is a great way to stretch your brain’s capacity, enhance your CV, connect with different cultures and get the most out of international travel. Grwp Llandrillo Menai runs a range of Spanish courses at various levels, including Conversational Spanish For Holidays at its Abergele site and every stage from one to 10 at locations including Bangor, Colwyn Bay Library, Denbigh HWB and Rhyl. Learners can also engage in classes via remote learning.
You can learn Welsh at Bangor University, which runs a range of courses for those starting from scratch to those looking to brush up their knowledge. Over the past 40 years, tens of thousands of students have benefited from these carefully graded courses led by committed and experienced tutors. To find one that’s right for you visit www.learnwelsh.cymru.
If English isn’t your first language, Coleg Cambria runs ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) courses from Monday to Friday, focusing on the core skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening over seven levels.
1. If you’re looking to learn Welsh,
Bangor
University has courses for all levels
2. Gain a GCSE in maths or
English at
Shrewsbury
Colleges Group
3. Coleg Cambria runs a range of Skills for
Adults courses, including those that can help you support your children’s learning
1 Go back to school
Taking control of your learning as an adult is a very different prospect to learning at school, and certain qualifications can be vital to securing employment or progressing in your career of choice
2
Get
crafty >
While many people like traditional classroom-based learning, others prefer to get more hands-on as they practise new skills
Blacksmithing courses are available
Floristry
If you’d like to boost your flower-arranging skills beyond the basic, Reaseheath College in Nantwich, Cheshire, offers a range of courses that will enable you to create some stunning floral designs. The Open College Network (OCN) course focuses on creating and experimenting with a diverse range of floristry designs, including hand-tied bouquets, floral arrangements and wedding work. Students create two practical pieces each week, and there’s also a small amount of written work that is designed to help you understand the principles of practical designs.
Ceramics
You can explore the wonderful malleable material that is clay at Coleg Menai in Bangor, part of Grwp Llandrillo Menai, which offers a part-time ceramics course. Over the 10 weeks, you’ll be guided through techniques including pinching, coiling, slabbing, glazing and throwing on the potter’s wheel. Everyone’s welcome, whatever your level of experience, and the course fee includes all materials and firing.
Jewellery making
Have you always wanted to learn the skills to make your own silver jewellery? Wrexham Glyndwr University is running a class that will guide you through the craft, designing and producing beautiful bespoke pieces from simple earrings and bangles through to a final project of making your very own stone set ring. As part of the course, you’ll generate design ideas, learn how to form, shape and texture metals and learn simple stone setting too.
Blacksmithing
Why not try your hand at something completely different? The Rural Crafts Centre at the Holme Lacy campus of Herefordshire & Ludlow College is recognised as the foremost national centre for smiths, and runs a variety of courses for those interested in this traditional art. Beginners can enrol on Introduction To Blacksmithing, which will teach you the skills of fire management, forging, forming, cutting and joining while giving you the opportunity to produce small decorative pieces and tools. There are also further courses available for those with some experience looking to develop their design and forgework skills.
Sewing
The sewing class at Shrewsbury Colleges Group is aimed at complete beginners and those who wish to learn the basics of using a sewing machine. Students learn how to thread a sewing machine and follow a pattern to make a tote bag. From there, you’ll progress to sewing button holes, inserting zips, discovering different seam finishes and using each of these techniques in a project.
DID YOU KNOW? 61 per cent of participants in adult further education and skills are female
Get to grips with technology
Like it or loathe it, technology is an integral part of our everyday lives, and the best way to get ahead is to embrace it! Whatever your interest and level of experience, there are a range of courses on offer
DID YOU KNOW? The majority of courses you can apply for through Adult Learning Wales are free
Start at the beginning
Basic digital skills such as how to make a video call or shop online are essential for modern survival, and in acknowledgement of this Reaseheath College in Nantwich, Cheshire, runs an Essential Digital Skills qualification. Aimed at those who have few or no digital skills, the free course provides adults with the skills needed in life and at work. It focuses on topics including creating and editing documents, communicating online, using devices and handling information.
Further development
Those looking to take their IT skills to the next level can get ahead at Grwp Llandrillo Menai, which offers a range of computing and technology courses, including a suite of Digital Literacy courses suitable for every level. The courses, which can be undertaken for
career development or for pleasure, are suitable for all – from those looking to learn basic typing and keyboard skills to people who are confident with technology and are now looking to advance their skills by learning new techniques and programmes.
If you’re looking to gain more specialist technological knowledge, Coleg Cambria runs courses on AI Fundamentals (with Python), Software Development, Drones, Excel, Cybersecurity and more.
Photography for the modern age
Modern photography (and we’re talking about more than using your phone camera here) is a technical business – and if you want to make the most of your digital equipment, Shrewsbury Colleges Group can help. Its Digital Photography course combines a mixture of theory and practical work to cover all the basics including the SLR camera and its controls, exposure, focusing, focal length, shutter speeds, apertures, depth of field, filters and more.
Those wanting to take their photography a step further can also enrol on the Introduction To Photoshop course, which will guide you through the process of creating and manipulating digital images. With lots of hands-on practice, this will allow you to edit and transform your photographs using Adobe Photoshop, design original illustrations and create your own digital masterpieces.
How to begin your learning journey
Assess your personal ambitions and interests
Reflect on what you’re passionate about and what you’d like to accomplish.
Identify a goal
Whether your learning interests are career- or passion-driven, it’s important to set goals that are realistic and achievable.
Look at the time and resources you have available
Courses vary widely in cost and the amount of time you have to commit to them, so make sure you find one that works for you.
Do your research
There are lots of colleges and course providers, all offering numerous part-time courses. Spend some time looking through their websites to ensure you enrol on the right course for you.
Make time for learning
Embarking on a new learning journey takes considerable time and effort. Ensure that you make space in your busy life to accommodate it. Committing to your learning is essential for success.
Useful resources
Coleg Cambria www.cambria.ac.uk Glyndwr University www.glyndwr.ac.uk Grwp Llandrillo Menai www.gllm.ac.uk Herefordshire & Ludlow College www.hlcollege.ac.uk North Shropshire College www.nsc.ac.uk Reaseheath College www.reaseheath.ac.uk Shrewsbury College Group www.scg.ac.uk
