Free training in Ashfield

If you are looking into boosting your career, you may first have to explore the skills that you need to reach your goals. You can develop these skills by accessing local training courses that are free within the Ashfield district.

Looking for free training courses?

Find out here the top 10 skills that local employers were looking for in their job postings in 2025.

Top 10 specialised skills

  1. Warehousing
  2. Auditing
  3. Continuous improvement processes
  4. Mental health
  5. Loading and unloading
  6. Finance
  7. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
  8. Personal care
  9. Machinery
  10. Autism spectrum disorders

Top 10 common skills

  1. Communication
  2. Management
  3. Customer service
  4. Detail oriented
  5. Teaching
  6. Planning
  7. Sales
  8. Operations
  9. Problem Solving
  10. English Language

Free training opportunities for Ashfield residents

Basic and Life Skills courses - Adult Skills Fund

As part of the East Midlands Combined County Authority allocation of the Adult Skills Fund (ASF), basic and life skills courses are available for communities within the Ashfield district.

ASF funding aims to engage adults aged 19 and over in learning and provide them with opportunities to help attain new skills and knowledge to gain employment, progress in work, or to further their education.

Through ASF, basic and life skills courses needed for the workplace are available, including English, maths, information technology, confidence building, budgeting skills and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).

Local providers that deliver ASF include:

Connect to Work programme

Connect to Work is a supported employment programme for individuals that have relevant barriers into work. Support will be individually tailored and responsive to each participant’s needs, capabilities, and evolving employment status. It should help the person learn on the job and sustain their role, empowering them to identify and access further support independently.

Local providers delivering the programme are:

Free courses for jobs

Free courses for jobs is a funding stream which sits within the Adult Skills Fund but is managed as a distinct delegated allocation and is part of the Lifetime Skills Guarantee.

The funding is aimed at enabling those without a level 3 qualification or higher to achieve a recognised qualification fully funded. Those who already hold a level 3 but earn below the national
living wage, and those who are unemployed are also eligible for Free courses for jobs.

Local providers that deliver free courses for jobs include:

Skills bootcamps

Skills bootcamps has free flexible courses of up to 16 weeks for people looking for a new role or job opportunity.

The fully-funded courses that are currently available in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire are:

  • Construction and the Built Environment
  • Digital and Data Skills
  • Education and Training
  • Management and Marketing
  • Manufacturing and Engineering
  • Transport and Logistics

Visit the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) Skills Bootcamps website and find the right course for you:

Local providers that deliver Skills Bootcamps include:

Van Elle Construction Training Centre

Van Elle has a purpose-built training facility in Kirkby in Ashfield, offering a wide range of construction training and courses to support, enhance learning and develop skills.

Van Elle can deliver training courses in the following areas:

Related links

Page last updated 31 March 2026

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