How do I get a course in the UK (England)?

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I want to get access to a course to retrain in something 'useful' so I can get work but I have no money. I don't know what to do. I only get £43/week as an income (DLA). I already have a degree but it is counterproductive for employment usage because of the subject, the fact I didn't get a First, and I graduated too long ago (I aimed to do a postgraduate 'conversion' course but they now cost over £9000 and up with no funding system). I even tried accessing Apprenticeships which unfortunately are very low level qualifications, but was turned away for having a degree, and by one provider for telling them I had Aspergers.

Perhaps if you approach course providers they'll have information about funding options, including bursaries.

I don't know if it's up your street but I quite like the sound of the AAT accountancy technician courses that u can do.

They're somewhere between bookkeeping and being an accountant.

Seems like a nice way to becoming self employed to me.

http://www.aat.org.uk/

That is much too expensive to afford, I only have a very low income, see my first post. I don't know how I could afford that.

Say I had the money, would I even be able to do that kind of course? I failed GCSE Maths and my maths skills are primary school level.

gutgrinder,
just wondering if are on income support/ESA as well as DLA?
unlike DLA,IS and ESA are means tested benefits and more likely to get someone access to mainstream college courses or other forms of learning.

these guys woud be worth contacting-
http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/how-w ... s-helpline

It depends on where you are and whether you have been assigned a Jobcenter Plus adviser or are on a work programme and have an adviser there.

I am receiving income-related JSA and am in a work programme run by Mencap for people with LD, Autism and MH problems. My JCP adviser referred me to a 3-day introduction to Sage 50 which a lot of white-collar jobs ask for these days. JCP even paid my travel expenses! I will be doing a 5-day customer service course next and hopefully a bookkeeping principles course when my adviser and I can track one down locally. These are funded through the SFA (Skills Funding Agency).

Your local adult education authority (in Suffolk it is Realise Futures/LEAP) and the National Careers service can help. Many of their sort of short courses are free even if you are not on benefits.

I'm not touching the Job Centre I know what a bunch of Nazis those lot are they can 'sanction' you off benefits for months for even asking to see a DEA or telling them you are ill!!

Wouldn't I be non eligible for free training anyway as I already have a degree?

I tried National Careers they said, go to National Autistic Society, we can't help you, but NAS don't want to know either they don't operate where I live

There is a growing body of free and low cost courses available via the world wide web. Some of the main websites are:
https://www.canvas.net/
https://www.coursera.org/
https://www.edx.org/
https://www.futurelearn.com/
http://www.hippocampus.org/
http://www.open.edu/openlearn/
http://www.ocwconsortium.org/courses/
https://www.udacity.com/
One limitation with free courses is there is little (if any) person-to-person assistance. There is also little (if any) formal recognition for successfully completing a course.

If you want to improve your math skills, take a look at http://www.hippocampus.org/ and http://mathshelp.open.ac.uk/ . (Is it possible you have dyscalculia / numlexia [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyscalculia ] ?)

Those courses would not be recognised by UK employers they aren't recognised qualifications, the point is to get recognised qualifications that enable employment.

I need GCSE Maths grade A* to C for nearly any job. Not looking at a website, actual GCSE Maths at Grades A* to C, the universal requirement by UK employers.

Those courses would not be recognised by UK employers they aren't recognised qualifications, the point is to get recognised qualifications that enable employment.

I need GCSE Maths grade A* to C for nearly any job. Not looking at a website, actual GCSE Maths at Grades A* to C, the universal requirement by UK employers.

I'm an American, so excuse my ignorance:

You could retake the GCSE, and obtain at least a C-grade, right? That's what I would do, take maths courses so you could get that grade.

I don't have the money to retake it unless it can be gained free somehow.

I was meant to get grades A* to C in GCSE Maths at 16 but failed. I later did 4 A-levels and a degree but my choice of university courses was very limited due to the Maths issue (no Science or Computing based degrees for example) and even many menial jobs require a pass at GCSE Maths.

Bump

First, what would be the point of taking the exam again if, as you stated, your "maths skills are primary school level"? The websites I mentioned can be used to teach yourself mathematics and thereby improve your chances of obtaining at least a C grade.

Second, some jobs do not require GCSE maths. These are usually crappy jobs, but if you save some of the money you earn whilst working, you can use that money to pay to take the exam again. If you teach yourself mathematics, then you would only have to pay for the exam, and not an entire course.

Finally, a lot of employers do not check your exam grades, especially if you have a university degree and/or you are applying for a low level job, so you can always lie on your application and claim that you achieved a grade of C on GCSE maths. If you do not have the required skills, and this becomes evident whilst you are working, then you are in trouble. Again, the websites I mentioned can be used to improve your skills.

For many jobs even very basic jobs you need a qualification called a 'GCSE' in Maths, at grades C (minimum) to A* (top). I do not have one. I have 7 GCSEs in other subjects, 4 A-levels and a BSc degree. I do not have a job. I get £43 a week. I cannot save up any money. I don't have enough money to eat properly. A GCSE Maths would not magically get me a paying job. I should not lie on job applications as I could get a criminal record.