12th June 2024
“It was such a great festival – please do it again!” We listened – and we are!
Following on from last year’s vibrant and successful inaugural event, South Devon College is again running its Festival of Learning to give the local community the opportunity to take part in a mix of fun and creative workshops.
This is a chance to learn new skills or develop existing ones during a series of focused workshops – last year hundreds of local residents attended in a bid to discover new talents, take on different pastimes or even start a new career!
“Very impressed by the facilities at the college and the friendliness of the staff” was one of the comments received after last year’s week of learning.
Attendees at last year’s Festival get to grips with new skills
Held over five days in June at various College locations in Paignton and Torquay, this year there will be 50 workshops to choose from, each lasting three to six hours, and covering a wide range of areas, from hobbies and crafts to professional skills and trades.
Whether you’re wanting to enhance your crafting prowess, thinking of starting a side hustle, or looking to improve your employability skills, there will be a workshop for you.
If you’re feeling creative, there are sessions covering jewellery making, home DIY skills, video editing, needle felting and printmaking. If you’re wanting a taste of professional careers, how about Management Engagement Skills, mentoring, basic vehicle maintenance or an introduction to health and social care?
There was an excellent response to last year’s event, with a huge 83% of attendees saying taking part in the event led them to consider further study. One participant said it was a “really good experience, staff and course tutor were great. I am now looking into booking onto the full course!”.
Our knowledgeable teams will be on hand to deliver the workshops, and give you any information, advice and guidance that you need to get the most out of the week. If the workshops inspire you to consider further study, our Helpzone team will also be on hand to support you in your journey to apply and enrol on our wide range of courses.
Katy Hensby, Head of Community Learning at South Devon College, said: “We’re really excited to be able to offer this fantastic festival again and to build on last year’s success!
“It’s a great opportunity for adults in our community to visit the College, see our amazing facilities and work alongside our talented teams in trying something new. This has the potential to kickstart a new career, develop a side business, or ignite a passion for additional learning and study. Do come and take part so you can experience first hand what the College can offer. We look forward to welcoming you all!”
The workshops will utilise the incredible and versatile provisions on offer at the main Vantage Point campus, as well as the University Centre South Devon, the Centre for Health and Care Professions in Torquay, and the South West Energy Centre (SWEC) on Long Road, Paignton. A few courses will also be held online.
The Festival of Learning runs from 24th to 28th June and is for adults aged 19 and over – there is a small booking fee of £2.50 per workshop, which will be charged when you make the booking. Please note this fee is per workshop, not per person.
For timetables and booking, please follow this link: Festival of Learning for Adults – South Devon College