Support with work and training

There are opportunities for gaining new skills and qualifications to help boost your CV and job applications.

Luton Adult Learning

Luton Adult Learning is your community learning provider.

Whether you are looking to find an apprenticeship, a new job, gain a promotion, have the knowledge and understanding to support your children at school, work with your local community, develop a hobby or improve your confidence they have something for you.

Find out more about courses available

Improve your skills

Luton Adult Learning Passport to Employment is a series of employability workshops that will help you design an outstanding CV, prepare for interviews and help you improve your confidence.

The National Careers Service can help you to make decisions on learning, training and work at all stages in your career.

• Skills assessment: learn more about your skills and match them to potential new careers.
• Find a course: look for learning and training opportunities local to you.
• Free courses to help develop your digital and numeracy skills for work on ‘The Skills Toolkit’.

The Department for Education’s Skills for Life website can help you find new learning opportunities and qualifications to improve your chances of finding work.

Prince's Trust training programmes

Training programmes from the Prince's Trust help young people gain the skills they need for employment.

Join a free programme to develop your skills and confidence to find a job or start a business.

Help with learning costs

There are different types of funding:

• Grants and bursaries - these do not have to be paid back
• 16 to 19 Bursary Fund you could get a bursary to help with education-related costs if you’re aged 16 to 19
• Learner Support - for people 19 or over
• Advanced Learning Loans - for people 24 or over
• Loans for work-related training from your employer - ask your employer

The National Careers Service (NCS) provides careers information, advice and guidance. They can help you to make decisions on learning, training and work at all stages in your career.

• Explore careers, find out what a job involves and if it’s right for you.
• Making career choices, whether you're starting your career, changing jobs or working out your next step, get advice to make the right choice for you.
• Getting a job, be successful in the recruitment process with tips on great CVs, interviews and graduate scheme applications.
• Progressing your career, move up in your career by developing new skills. Find opportunities like volunteering and online learning.

Apprenticeships are now widely recognised. They are an opportunity to learn while you earn and improve your career prospects.

Becoming an apprentice, find out how apprenticeships work, what you’ll get and how to apply.

Apprenticeship opportunities in Luton

• Search all apprenticeships in Luton, search for vacancies in Luton and across the UK on the national apprenticeships website.
• Apprenticeships at Luton Council, browse and apply for apprenticeships at Luton Council.

Universal Credit and work

You may still be able to receive Universal Credit payments when you start work or increase your earnings. You will continue to receive Universal Credit until your earnings are high enough, at which point your payments will stop. That amount will depend on your circumstances.

Find out more about Universal Credit and work

Paying for childcare

If you need help with the cost of childcare, there are various options available. You can also use the government’s childcare calculator to see what you might be entitled to.

Childcare Choices also provides information about all the schemes available to help with childcare costs, including for school age children, before and after school and in the holidays.