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You want to grow your career, but you’re not sure how or whether you can afford it. We’ve put together a list of great resources for you to upskill for free.

It can be a minefield to navigate and learning new skills can be expensive and time consuming, two important elements that most of us might find to be a barrier.

1. Check out the National Careers Service. You might think that this is aimed at school or college leavers, but you can find courses, take a skills assessment, and careers advice via this government website. Whether it’s changing your career entirely, finding ways to grow your career, or understanding more about working with a disability or health condition, this is a great starting point.
2. Scour the internet for free courses. The Open University has a huge range of free courses that you can do to grow your career and boost your knowledge. Google has a variety of short courses for people who are interested in marketing or just generally improving their digital skills.
3. Skills Bootcamps are free, thanks to government funding. Open to people working or unemployed, you can discover free courses that are available online or local to you.
4. Drop-in to our career hub on Thursdays. Our weekly session at Parkside Community Hub is open to anyone to attend, and you can receive help and advice on improving your CV, job applications, or some general career advice. Available every Thursday, 10.30am-2.30pm.
5. Apply for a CHP job. Our Customer Confident Scheme means that if you meet the criteria of the role, you’ll be guaranteed an interview. There’s a range of jobs at CHP, and we’re passionate about diversity, equality, and inclusion, as well as providing training so our employees can continue to grow their skills.

Depending on the industry or sector that you work in, you might be able to join webinars or online forums to learn more. Have a chat with your manager and employer to see if they can support you with the cost of training or can facilitate it through your workplace.