ADULT SKILLS FUND PROVIDER DIRECTORY

With almost two decades of experience delivering skills, employability and justice contracts nationwide, Acorn Training is proud to support communities and employers across South Yorkshire. Through our Turn Around programme, we help individuals rebuild confidence and gain the skills they need to successfully re-enter the labour market. 

We also offer a wide range of high-quality qualifications, including those for the Adult Social Care sector (Levels 1 and 2), the Level 3 Residential Childcare Diploma, and Early Years programmes from Level 1 to Level 3, including the full diploma, SENCO Level 3, and Understanding Children’s Mental Health—ensuring learners are equipped to make a real difference in their communities.

Website: Turn around Programme and Adult learning courses

For over 20 years, Arena Training Centre has been a trusted name in electrical education, supporting thousands of learners as they enter the industry, grow their skills, and develop their businesses. Many of our learners return to us time and again, relying on our expertise as they expand their own qualifications or that of their team’s and invest in employee training. 

As a long‑standing partner to apprenticeship providers including JTL & The Sheffield College, we deliver both block and day‑release programmes, alongside a full range of qualifications from entry‑level courses to green skills and specialist short courses including two end point assessment centres. 

Arena Training Centre continues to shape the future of the electrical workforce with training that’s practical, respected, and built around real industry needs. Our entire training team comes directly from the electrical sector – with some still running their own contracting businesses and others contributing to the guidance, qualification development, and assessments of national awarding bodies. 

We pride ourselves on delivering high-quality training that’s grounded in real experience, shaped by industry expertise, and focused on helping every learner succeed.

Website: Arena Training Centre

Barnsley Council’s ASCL has a long standing history of working with partners across the town to challenge disadvantage through learning, skills development and employment. The organisation works to improve confidence, self-esteem or employability of Barnsley residents and get them ready for, in to or further on in work or learning. 

ASCL provides courses in Maths, English, IT & Digital Skills, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Working with Children & Families, Health & Social Care, Creative Wellbeing, Positive Thinking, Employability, Health & Safety, Food Safety and First Aid. It also delivers learning focused on:

• Employment, skills and qualifications: getting people on to the skills ladder to gain, retain and progress in work
• Wellbeing: supporting people with physical and mental health issues to participate positively in their community and/or move into or retain work
• Reducing isolation, promoting integration and bringing communities together
• Helping people acquire the characteristics to participate fully in life and work
• Helping people navigate challenges such as redundancy and parenthood

For more information on the training programmes available through Barnsley Council ASCL, contact:

Email: adultlearning@barnsley.gov.uk

Telephone: 01226 775270

Website: www.barnsley.gov.uk/services/adult-skills-and-community-learning/

Bright Direction Training helps people gain employment and career progress through learning and ability development. 

Courses currently available through Bright Direction Training include:

The organisation is offering employed and self-employed residents across all areas of South Yorkshire access to:

• Level 2 and Level 3 (extended) diplomas in Personal Training & Leadership. 

This qualification is designed to introduce learners to the active leisure sector, enabling them to prescribe, plan and deliver safe and effective exercise programmes whilst developing their skills' knowledge to pursue a career in personal training. 

To find out more about undertaking a Personal Training & Leadership diploma with Bright Direction Training, contact:

Email: info@brightdirectiontraining.co.uk

Telephone: 01204 859 859

Website: www.brightdirectiontraining.co.uk

Castleview Group Training delivers employer-responsive adult education across SYMCA, with a clear focus on moving learners into sustainable employment. Our provision supports individuals who are unemployed, economically inactive, or seeking a career change, many of whom face multiple barriers including low confidence, limited qualifications, or gaps in work history. 

Our curriculum is directly aligned to regional labour market demand. In manufacturing and engineering, we deliver Level 1 and Level 2 Certificates in Skills for Working in Engineering and Manufacturing Industries, supporting progression into production and quality roles. 

For warehouse and logistics environments, we offer Level 1 and Level 2 Certificates in Warehousing and Storage. Within construction, learners complete the Level 1 Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment and the Level 2 Certificate in Construction Skills. In health and care settings, we deliver the Level 2 Certificate in Health and Social Care alongside the Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of the Prevention and Control of Infection in Health Care Settings. 

Hospitality provision includes the Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Excellence in Customer Service, preparing learners for customer-facing roles. We also run non-regulated preparation-for-work programmes to build confidence and readiness before learners move into accredited training or employment. 

All courses are aligned to local employer demand across manufacturing, warehouse, hospitality, care, and construction sectors, ensuring learners gain the skills, behaviours, and knowledge required to succeed in real workplace environments.

Website: Courses – Castle View Group

Here at Challenge-trg Skills, we specialise in training and developing people through comprehensive, high‑quality learning programmes. Operating nationally, we are proud to have worked with leading organisations such as Tesco, Co-op, Sainsbury’s, GXO and many other well‑known brands.

Our aim is to:

• Equip you with the skills and knowledge you need
• Build your confidence as you enter or re-enter the workforce
• Help you thrive in long‑term, sustainable employment

On our South Yorkshire contract, we deliver the Level 1 and Level 2 Certificate in Warehouse and Storage, as well as the Level 1 Award in Health and Safety—available in both Doncaster and Barnsley.

Our diverse range of learning and development programmes are delivered face-to-face, online, or via a blended approach using our Moodle platform which includes a fully virtual classroom environment, all delivered by our inspirational team of trainers and specialists.

Challenge-trg Skills is a matrix-accredited provider, offering high-quality, impartial careers information, advice and guidance delivered by our highly qualified National Careers Service Advisors. Throughout your programme, our dedicated staff will always be on hand to answer your questions and support you with anything you need. 

Website: About Challenge-trg Skills

Aspire to Be is a specialist employability service offering tailored support for D/deaf, hard‑of‑hearing, neurodiverse adults, and those with communication barriers. 

We use unique simulated training spaces — including mock interview rooms, sector‑standard practical areas, and dedicated job‑search facilities — to build confidence, communication skills, and real‑world readiness. 

Our team “thinks outside the box,” providing truly personalised learning and inclusive employment support that helps individuals progress at their own pace and move into meaningful work.

Website : Specialist Employability Support | Doncaster Deaf Trust   

Longley Sixth Form

At Longley Park Sixth Form College we make sure our students have the best possible education and experience. 

We also do more than simply getting you through your exams - we help you define your unique goals. Whether you're aiming for university or are ready to train for a career, it's time to start working on you.

If you’re looking for inspiration and guidance from a college that has your best interests at heart, then look no further than Longley Park. 

Project You is our promise to support you on your journey every step of the way.

Courses currently available through Longley Park Sixth Form College include:

• Business
• Childcare
• Creative Arts & Media
• English
• Health & Social Care
• Humanities
• IT & Computing
• Law
• Maths
• Science
• Sport
• GCSEs, ESOL, Functional Skills

To find out more about the courses and training programmes available through Longley Park Sixth Form College, contact:

Email: enquiries@longleypark.ac.uk

Telephone: 0114 262 5757

Website: www.longleypark.ac.uk

Momentum Recruitment and Training delivers vocational training and employability programmes designed to support adults across South Yorkshire into employment, further learning, or career progression. 

Through SYMCA Adult Skills funding, we provide fully funded training opportunities for eligible learners aged 19+, including sector-based programmes in construction, warehousing and logistics (including forklift training), security (SIA), welding, and employability skills. 

We also deliver Skills Bootcamps in Retrofit, Level 3 Welding, Level 2 Welding, and Advanced Welding (Robotics), supporting learners to develop higher-level technical skills aligned with regional employer demand. 

Our delivery focuses on practical, hands-on learning, industry-recognised qualifications, and support with progression into work through employer partnerships and recruitment support.

Website: Momentum Group

NIS Group delivers free, accredited training courses designed to put individuals on the path to sustainable careers in the rail, civils, utilities and construction sectors. 

We are passionate about helping learners overcome barriers to employment through personalised support, working closely with employers and referral partners to align training with industry needs.

 Our successful programmes of delivery across the West Midlands are now available across the South Yorkshire area, offering entry-level qualifications, upskilling opportunities and tailored support to help learners progress into meaningful, sustainable work.

 We also support returning citizens, ex-forces personnel and others facing challenges in entering the workforce. All course enquiries to be directed to employability@nisgroup.co.uk

Website: NIS Group Training - Rail, Construction & Infrastructure Courses

At Netcom Training, we’re all about giving you the skills to thrive in today’s digital world. As the UK’s market leaders in fully funded tech skills training, we help South Yorkshire break into in-demand fields like cyber security, IT support, and data analysis. 

Our courses are built for the real world, meaning learners gain experience that actually matters to employers. The best part? Our programmes include career support,  including CV help and interview prep, and we help our learners to find a job.  

Website: Netcom Training

Realise are a training provider that helps people to unlock their potential. Everything we do is built upon our passionate, curious and human culture. 

We ensure that learners are on the right programmes to achieve their ambitions. We do this by having real conversations with people and organisations. As one of the largest providers of adult education programmes in England, we have a network of over 500 skilful and consistent trainers, each with in-depth industry insight across multiple levels of training. In South Yorkshire we offer fully funded courses that can help you take the next step into education, care, and support roles. 

Whether you’re returning to learning, changing career, or building experience you already have, we’re here to support you. Our courses are free for eligible adults and designed to help you gain real, practical skills that employers value. You’ll learn in a supportive and welcoming environment with friendly tutors to help you succeed. Whether you want to build confidence, gain a qualification, or take a step towards a new career, our courses are designed to fit around real life and open up new opportunities. 

Website: South Yorkshire - Realise

RNN Group is an education and training provider, meeting the needs of thousands of employers, adults and school leavers every year and contributing at the heart of our communities. 

The RNN Group includes five campuses of career-focused further and higher education in South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire which includes; Rotherham College, North Notts College, Dearne Valley College, University Centre Rotherham, alongside our partner organisation the National Fluid Power Centre. 

The Group offers full time, part time, and online learning on site at our college venues, in community venues and at employer locations for adults aged over 25. The organisation also provides support for adult ages 19-25 with established EHCP or similar high needs requirements, apprenticeship advice, Commercial Employer Training and Higher Education Training, as well as careers advice and guidance for the long term unemployed, recently redundant and economically inactive.

Course available through the RNN Group cover a variety of areas/sectors including:

• Employability
• Community-Based Courses
• Essential Skills 
• Engineering
• Construction
• Health & Social Care
• Hospitality & Catering
• Creative Industries 
• Digital Industries
• Salon Industries (Hair & Beauty)
• Sport & Leisure
• Public Services

Website: RNN Group - Career-focused further and higher education

Family Adult Community Education Services (FACES), part of Sheffield City Council provides adult learning opportunities for anyone aged 19 and over. 

We deliver a wide range of courses across the city in community settings, designed to help adults build confidence, gain essential skills, and progress in life and work. Our programmes include ESOL, Functional Skills English and Maths, Digital Skills, Family Learning, and Skills for Life and Work, with courses available from Pre‑Entry to Level 2. Our small, supportive classes, specialist tutors and IAG Officers ensure every learner receives personalised support throughout their journey. 

We are committed to removing barriers to learning and helping adults develop skills for employment, independence, wellbeing, and everyday life. Many of our courses especially those supporting wellbeing, personal development, and professional growth run throughout the year in multiple community venues across Sheffield. 

Eligibility: Courses are open to adults aged 19+, and many are free for learners on means‑tested benefits or a low income. All learners complete an initial assessment so we can place them on the right level of study.

Website: Family Adult Community Education | Sheffield City Council

Founded in 1990, Standguide Limited continues to support hundreds of employers and thousands of participants per year, providing employment advice, funded qualifications and business mentoring and recruitment.

Standguide Limited’s comprehensive and successfully delivery portfolio includes employment, education and rehabilitation services UK-wide on behalf of the Department for Work & Pensions, Education & Skills Funding Agency, NHS and Ministry of Justice, as well as local and combined authorities, both as a direct deliverer and through effective management of supply chain partners.

Our training courses are built around your company needs, ensuring we find the right people for your business. We source potential candidates, screen them, provide them with a tailored training programme and then put them through your organisation’s assessment process.

Our tailored package will improve the skills levels and understanding of candidates before they even arrive for interview and will not only upskill your workforce, but drive commitment whilst in employment.

Funded Training for your Workforce

As a group, working together we will:

• Source a diverse spectrum of candidates through both our current Employability Programmes and other recruitment sources
• Screen each individual candidate to the appropriate standard
• Qualify each candidate to the appropriate level and ensuring they are all at the skills level to progress through to interview stages
• Support each candidate throughout the Interview process with Information, Advice and Guidance
• Continue to work with each candidate once in position with a range of aftercare support.
• Level 1 and Level 2 Preparing to Work in Adult Social Care – accredited by NCFE. Taught Remotely 

 What does the qualification cover?

This qualification provides an ideal taster for those who may be new to the sector or new to the world of work. It is accessible to learners of all ages who may want to understand more about working in health and social care. It aims to introduce some basic concepts of caring and preparation for employment in the sector.
 
 The qualification covers the areas of communication, equality, diversity and inclusion, personal development, role of the social care worker, handling information, health and safety, safeguarding, duty of care and person-centred approaches.
 

Level 2 Certificate in Principles of Customer Service – Taught Remotely and Face to Face

 This qualification aims to:  

• provide learners with the underpinning knowledge that is required by employees to work in a range of different environments within a customer service role
• develop essential knowledge of how to carry out customer service tasks, such as how to manage information and supporting events
• know how to apply their knowledge in a variety of industries and job roles.

Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Excellence in Customer Service for Hospitality Taught Remotely and Face to Face 

This qualification aims to :

This qualification is designed for learners who are looking to enter, or progress within, employment in the hospitality sector. It will enable learners to develop knowledge and understanding of excellence in customer service for the hospitality sector.

• communicating with customers in the hospitality sector 
• teamwork in the hospitality sector 
• professional standards and personal development 
•  legislation and regulations relating to customer service delivery in the hospitality sector

To find out more about the courses and training programmes available through Standguide, contact:

Email: media@standguide.co.uk 

Telephone: 0161 881 4826 (option 5)

Website: www.standguide.co.uk

Talented Training delivers a 15 day, fully funded CSCS construction programme across South Yorkshire through the SYMCA Adult Skills Fund. The course includes the Level 1 Certificate in an Introduction to Construction and the Level 1 Award in Health and Safety within a Construction Environment. 

This programme provides learners with the knowledge required to work safely on site and prepares them to take the CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test. On successful completion, learners can apply for the CSCS Green Labourer Card, enabling them to access entry level roles within the construction industry.

Website: Construction - Talented Training   

EFL in the Community delivers Adult Skills Fund provision across South Yorkshire in partnership with Sheffield Wednesday FC Community Programme, Sheffield United Community Foundation, Rotherham United Community Trust and Barnsley FC Community Trust. Using the trusted reach of local football clubs, we support adults who are economically inactive or facing barriers to employment and further learning. 

Our SYMCA-funded offer includes community-based programmes such as Introduction to Coaching & Volunteering, Volunteering for Community Impact, Tackling Inequalities Through Sport, and Active Confidence Through Football, alongside health and wellbeing programmes, digital skills, financial capability and supported work placements. 

These programmes are designed to build confidence, develop practical skills and support progression into further training, vocational qualifications or employment.

Website: EFL in the Community - The English Football League

Northern College is the only residential College for adults over 19 in the North. We will prepare you to re-enter education, gain employment or make a career change through immersive residential learning and specialist support.

Website: www.northern.ac.uk

The Sheffield College, which is Ofsted graded ‘good’, plays an important role supporting the local economy and its mission is transforming lives through learning. 

We educate and train more than 13,000 students a year in the latest industry standard facilities at five main campuses across the city. 

Our academic, technical, vocational and professional qualifications equip students with the knowledge and skills to go further in employment and their careers. As part of that, we deliver an exciting range of full and part time qualifications for adults that help them to take the next step. 

Our adult offer supports jobseekers who need the skills and qualifications to get into the workplace and a choice of online learning courses. 

Subjects available across the offer include cybersecurity, creating your own start-up business, digital marketing, English and maths, environmental sustainability and green skills. 

We also provide courses for adults who want to progress to or study at university level such as access, university level and higher technical qualifications that are employer focused. 

Website: Sheffield College

Total Training Provision delivers a range of South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) Adult Skills Fund programmes designed to support adults to gain new skills, progress into employment, and advance within their current roles. Our provision includes sector-focused vocational training, employability programmes, and short accredited courses aligned to local labour market priorities. Training is delivered locally within community venues across South Yorkshire, ensuring provision is accessible to residents, with small class sizes (typically around 10 learners) to provide personalised support and high-quality learning experiences. Delivery is available through flexible classroom, workplace, and blended learning models.

Full details of our current SYMCA-funded Total Training Provision courses and enrolment information can be found here.

Skills for Life and Work is an 11-week programme supporting Doncaster residents to overcome barriers that may be holding them back from employment or education. Barriers might include low confidence, health conditions, limited digital skills or time away from the workplace. Through a blend of group workshops, one‑to‑one coaching and personalised wellbeing support, participants develop stronger confidence, build essential digital and employability skills, and connect with real opportunities offered by local employers.

The programme covers mindset development, CV building, interview preparation, digital skills training and sector‑specific taster sessions. Each participant is supported to set clear, achievable goals and take positive steps towards sustainable employment or further training.

Delivered in partnership with South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority in Doncaster.

Website: Skills | Triage

Think Employment is an Ofsted 'Good' rated training provider. We deliver fully funded adult education across South Yorkshire, in partnership with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA). 

We help adults aged 19+ develop practical, job-ready skills through non-accredited online and in-person courses. Our programmes include a 12-week Teaching Assistant course with a free Enhanced DBS Check, a 12-week Forklift and Warehouse Operations course with a free RTITB forklift licence, a Construction course with a free CSCS Card, and courses in Health and Social Care and Retail and Hospitality. Every learner receives dedicated Success Coach support from enrolment to employment. 

We offer personalised career guidance, CV, interview, and job search help. All courses include a guaranteed interview upon completion.

Website: Courses - Think Employment

TRN (Train) Ltd is an established independent training provider with over 24 years’ experience delivering high‑quality adult learning, apprenticeships, and sector‑focused skills programmes across England. 

 Our South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) offer, funded through Free Courses for Jobs, supports regional priorities by providing flexible, employer‑responsive training at level 3 in Adult Care and Residential Childcare, helping learners gain the skills and qualifications needed to progress in work. 

Website: Free Courses For Jobs – TRN

The WEA are a national educational charity with a mission to bring adult education within reach of everyone who needs it, fighting inequality and promoting social justice. Founded in 1903, the WEA supports lifelong learning, not just to gain skills for work, but also to build resilience, confidence, and community. 

WEA adult skills courses are designed to support learners into employment and include: 

• Step Into Care 
• Basic Skills ESOL 
• Education & Training 
• Digital Skills
• Preparation for Life & Work 

WEA community learning courses are designed to build confidence and strengthen connections and include: 

• Engaging & Building Confidence 
• Preparation for Further Learning & Employment 
• Essential Skills ESOL/Maths/Digital 
• Supporting Family Learning 
• Health & Wellbeing 
• Building Stronger Communities 

To find courses near you, visit the WEA website here and type in your postcode.