No matter your age, there are learning, courses and training options for everyone.
Adult learning courses (19 and over)
Wigan Council offers flexible learning courses to help build confidence, develop skills and enhance your employability prospects and overall wellbeing.
Courses range from teaching, digital skills, English, health and social care and acting, to make up, maths, game design, leisure, construction and much more.
All our courses are free and part time, subject to resident eligibility checks.
- Take a look at our full list of courses and find out how to register
Other adult learning opportunities (19 and over)
- DMR (external link) - Funded NVQ qualifications to access construction employment opportunities
- Nidirect (external link) - Information for adults returning to learning, including what to study, where to learn and financial support available
- Wigan and Leigh College - adult courses (external link) - Offering a wide choice of courses, flexible delivery options and funded places
- National Careers Service (external link) - Help to find work and courses, as well as a skills check service
- Manchester Digital (external link) - Free digital training and employment support programmes for 16-24 year olds
- Motiv8 (external link) - Help for over 25's living in Greater Manchester to find training and employment opportunities
- Ultima (external link) - Various level courses available in employability, business administration, customer services, logistics and HGV training
Traineeships (16-24 years)
Traineeships provide unemployed young people, aged 16 to 24, with the skills and experience to progress into an apprenticeship or sustainable work.
They offer a combination of education, training and work experience that prepares people for their future careers by helping them to become 'work ready'.
The core offer includes the following mandatory elements:
- Work-preparation training
- Work-placement
- English and Maths.
See overview of traineeships and how to apply for a traineeship (external link) including case studies, information factsheets, video content and webinars.
Learning opportunities 16-19 years
A number of learning providers can help young people aged 16-19 access a range of accredited courses and programmes.
- DMR (external link) - Funded NVQ qualifications to access construction employment opportunities
- Wigan and Leigh College - Apprenticeships (external link) - we offer a wide range of subjects including A Level subjects, Vocational and Technical qualifications such as BTECs and Apprenticeships
- Traineeships GOV.UK (external link)
- Expanse learning (external link)
- Fir Tree Fishery (external link) - courses are very practical in nature and involve activities such as land-based, horticulture as well as life skills and outdoor work preparation
- GK training services (external link) - Study Programmes for 16-18 year olds, including functional skills, valuable work experience and enhancement of employability skills
- Groundwork (external link) - A local charity that helps support young people and adults to make life changing decisions to improve their life skills, employment opportunities. The programme is for anyone aged 16-25 who is looking to gain qualifications, work on confidence, self-esteem, gain work experience, have fun and develop their job prospects. The qualification is the Prince's Trust certificate in Employment, Teamwork and Community skills.
- The Growth Company education and skills (external link) - qualifications at both GCSE level (including maths and English) and functional skills, as well as high quality work experience placements
- Wigan Athletic training and skills (external link) - a Level 2 Football and Education Programme with the opportunity to train and play for Wigan Athletic Community Trust
- Wigan Warriors education courses (external link)
- TMP Creative College (external link) - courses in Music Performance and Technology, Multimedia, Tattoo Design & Illustration and Makeup and SFX
- The Prince's Trust (external link) - free courses and tailored one-to-one support to help you gain valuable work experience, explore career choices and build your skills and confidence
- Wigan Youth Zone (external link) - an 8 week employability course which incorporates accreditations, a two week work placement and developing your own skills
- Manchester Digital (external link) - Free digital training and employment support programmes for 16-24 year olds
- Ultima (external link) - Various level courses available in employability, business administration, customer services, logistics and HGV training.
The Growth Company courses and skills support
- Growth Company study programme (16-25 years) - offering a range of qualifications at the local Wigan Training Centre as well work experience opportunities. A training allowance of up to £30 per week is available
- Skills support for growth (15-18 years) – offering bespoke one-to-one support with job searching skills, CV building and interview skills as well as personal support with anxiety, depression, drug and alcohol abuse, young offending and emotional wellbeing.
To find out more about The Growth Company’s courses and skills support call 01942 527770.
Digital and numeracy skills (all ages)
A range of courses are available for all ages to increase your digital and numeracy skills, including:
- The Skills Toolkit (external link) - Free, high-quality digital and numeracy courses to build your skills and boost your job prospects
- Digital Wigan - Support to help you access the internet, introduce you to email, complete online forms as well as TechMates, our telephone digital mentoring service
- iDEA Award - A free online programme that helps you develop digital and enterprise skills.
Employment and life skills (all ages)
- Growth Company skills support for employment (external link) - help to improve your skills, knowledge and confidence, as well as access to exclusive job opportunities not advertised anywhere else
- Join the National Citizenship Service (external link) - Help to build skills for work and life while taking on new challenges and making new friends
- Register for Barclays Life Skills (external link) - a free to use platform with a variety of interactive tools to support people develop skills for work, including CV building, interview prep, building confidence and understanding finances.