Free Courses for Berinsfield Residents - Abingdon & Witney College

Improve your skills for work and employment

South Oxfordshire District Council's Berinsfield Garden Village team has partnered with Abingdon & Witney College, National Careers Service, Enterprise Oxfordshire, DWP, UKAEA, Community Catalysts and Williams Jet Tenders to launch a new FREE 7-week Improving Skills course for over 19s, especially tailored for Berinsfield residents.

Together, we’ve co-designed a pilot programme of stand-alone workshops, making more practical skills, professional training and further education opportunities available within the village so that residents do not need to rely on public transport for access.

The Improving Skills course will encompass seven modules each covering a different topic. Each module will be taught every Wednesday from 4th February (except during school holidays) at Williams Jet Tenders, Vogue Business Park, from 6.30-8.30pm, with a networking and refreshments session starting at 6pm for those who wish to come earlier.

A short talk will be presented at the end of the modules by professionals from different sectors including business, health, science and leisure. You can sign-up by module or for the entire course, and each module will be certified by Abingdon & Witney College.

Week 1 04/02/2026 Mindset and comfort zones - Preparatory module

What's it about? This session looks at how we approach challenges and how we easily fall into comfort zones. It prepares participants for gaining the most out of the opportunities presented.
Organised by: Abingdon & Witney College

Week 2 11/02/2026 Communication and promoting yourself

What's it about? This session looks at how we communicate with employers and how you can promote yourself to make you stand out. It is not about writing a CV!
Organised by: Abingdon & Witney College

Week 3 25/02/2026 Earning money and working life

What's it about? This session looks at how work can pay, supporting people back into work, and how improving your earning power can be achieved.
Organised by: National Careers Service and DWP

Week 4 04/03/2026 Basic digital skills

What's it about? This session looks at basic digital skills in the workplace and how you can improve them.
Organised by: Abingdon & Witney College

Week 5 11/03/2026 Careers and jobs advice

What's it about? This session looks at what employers want and how you can match your skill set to an employers needs, including support with CV and application writing.
Organised by: National Careers Service

Week 6 18/03/2026 Starting your own business

What's it about? This session provides an alternative view about work and how starting your own business can be done successfully.
Organised by: Enterprise Oxfordshire

Week 7 25/03/2026 Improving your skills

What's it about? This session looks at how you can improve your workplace skills and how employers can assist you in doing so.
Organised by: UK Atomic Energy Agency (UKAEA)