Starting this February, Fife College will be offering a series of free, online courses to help those who have been impacted by the economic downturn caused by the Coronavirus.
The past eleven months have been incredibly tough for many people throughout Fife. Across the region individuals have found their job under threat, or in the worst cases have seen their employment terminated as a variety of sectors struggle to cope under the current restrictions.
And just when we thought there might be an end in sight, the new variant and increase in cases has dealt another blow.
Fife College knows that those affected by this economic downturn will need support to get back into work – that’s where it can help!
The recently published Higgins Report into Scotland’s post-Coronavirus economy called for an ‘education led recovery’, and Fife College agrees.
Colleges across Scotland will have a vital role to play over the coming months and years as they look to give Scots the skills they need to succeed in the new environment we find ourselves in.
It was with this in mind that Fife College formed a collaboration with three other colleges in east-central Scotland to discuss how best to deliver the skills and opportunities needed to support the country’s economic recovery.
Together with Forth Valley College, Edinburgh College and West Lothian College, it has developed the ‘Our Futures Programme’ – a comprehensive set of reskilling and upskilling products designed to provide much needed support to those who have been economically affected by the pandemic.
Following discussions with Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Government, Fife College secured funding through the Young Persons’ Guarantee and National Transition Training Fund to offer Skills Boost Courses and Accelerator Programmes in a variety of key industry areas.
Skills Boost Courses
Delivered over courses lasting three to eighteen weeks, Skills Boost courses are an ideal way to upskill for specific industry sectors, to enhance your digital skills or to refine your employability and core skills to maximise job opportunities.
Fife College is offering skills boosts across a variety of different areas, including:
- Cyber security
- Culinary arts and hospitality
- Childcare
- Numeracy
- Customer service and business skills
- Facilities management
- Business management
- Waste in the circular economy
Accelerator Courses
Accelerator Courses are available from all four colleges in the collaboration. These are intensive programmes aligned to key sectors and take around six months to complete.
Not only could they help someone find employment (as these qualifications are sought after by employers), but they could lead to further study as well.
You can apply for an accelerator course in the following areas:
- Computing: networking
- Applied sciences
- Computer support
Each one of these courses could set someone off on a new, successful career path in an industry that is set to be key to the Fife economy over the coming years.
Anyone whose employment has been put under threat by the pandemic, or anyone who is looking for a new start, is urged to get in touch with Fife College.
You can find out more about any one of these courses online here or by calling 0344 248 0115.
These two products are just the start for Fife College. Over the coming months it will continue to develop ideas and programmes with partners in the sector to come up with further ways of helping people of all ages across the region.
No one doubts that there will be tough times ahead as we recover as a nation from the Coronavirus pandemic. Many people will understandably be worried about what the future holds for them, but Fife College is determined to do everything it can to help.
These courses are just the start, but they could help you to start 2021 on a new, more prosperous path.
So take the first step – apply today and get your career back on track.
