Every day is a school day! And you’re never too old to learn! Isn’t that what they say? Check out some of these places to increase your learning.
Every day is a school day! And you’re never too old to learn! Isn’t that what they say? Check out some of these places to increase your knowledge and meet some people while you’re there. Or if you are more solitary minded – there is always University of the Third Age and groups like Silver Surfers. But with so much to offer locally and the chance to beat loneliness and meet others – have a look at these great venues which offer lots of choice for topics to learn.
Learning is a lifelong activity and there’s no need for it to come to an end as we reach our senior years. For many people, those later years provide the perfect opportunity to open their minds to learning something new. It’s a time when there are no longer time constraints that a family and career bring. These later years are all about you and what you want to achieve.
Things have certainly changed since many have been to school or in any form of education. It was once the case that the opportunities were relatively limited with only core subjects being on offer. While these core subjects are still offered, for those who perhaps want to brush up their skills, there is now a wider variety than ever before.
If you’re looking for adult learning opportunities in and around Cannock, the good news is that there are plenty of options. We’re going to take a look at why you should consider getting involved and then explore some of the options that exist.
While you may think that the days of learning are far behind you, the truth is that getting involved as we get older brings a whole host of benefits. It’s no longer about feeling the stress of needing to achieve certain results. You’re not learning because you have to: you’re doing it because you want to, and that makes a real difference.
So, what are the benefits of learning in later life? They include:
A study in the US has highlighted how learning at an older age can impact your memory. Those who undertook study were shown to have a reduction of memory issues such as those that you’d expect to find with Alzheimer’s disease. There was also evidence to show that there was an increase in long-term memory skills.
Those who continue to study at an older age can also benefit from a reduction in stress and anxiety. As well as this, there are positive effects on the risk of strokes, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and a range of others.
The other great aspect of learning is that you get to meet new, like-minded, people. There is a real opportunity to form new friendships that can last a lifetime.
Hopefully, you can see that the benefits offered by lifelong learning are worth exploring. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the adult learning opportunities that you can access at Cannock.
The good news is that college isn’t just about kids. In fact, colleges now offer a whole range of adult learning opportunities, and Rodbaston College is a perfect example of this. While there are plenty of adult courses that focus on career opportunities, there are just as many that offer up the chance to discover a new hobby or skill.
You may want to brush up on the basics, such as English and maths. If that’s the case, you can do this for free. Perhaps you’ve always had an interest in sign language, or you have a friend who would be easier to communicate with if you could grasp this skill. If that’s you, then you’ll want to take a look at the sign language course. Maybe you’ve decided that now’s the time to learn guitar. You’ll even find a course for that too.
If you’re keen to learn, but the idea of attending in person is putting you off, there are also distance learning options. These see you access all of your learning materials online which means that you can work at a pace that suits you.
When looking for adult learning opportunities in Cannock, this college is an obvious choice. As a sister college to Rodbaston, at Cannock College, you’ll find that there are similar offerings. That means that you can access a wide range of courses, whether you’re looking for new qualifications or want a new hobby.
Just as with Rodbaston, you’ll find that the likes of English and maths are courses that are free of charge. This offers a great opportunity to have a refresher and to get those brain cells working again.
If traditional subjects aren’t really you, you’ll still be able to find a course that appeals. Alongside the kind of course that you’d expect to find, there are also options such as dog grooming and floristry. The latter can provide you with a great skill that you can continue to enjoy for a lifetime and you can be sure of meeting some amazing like-minded people.
If you feel that technology has left you behind, the courses offered by the Digital Skills Centre may be worth exploring. This is a brand new facility that you’ll find within Cannock College and Tamworth College. This facility aims to ensure that people just like you can access training to boost their digital skills.
What we like about the Digital Skills Centre is the fact that it caters for all abilities. If you’re looking for something a little specialist, they’ll be a course for you. If everything digital fills you with fear, you’ll find a course that’s right for you too.
Some of the things that you’ll be able to learn include:
These are skills that have real practical applications. As well as reaping all of the benefits that adult learning offers, you also have skills that can make life so much easier. The course that you choose to study will depend on what you’re looking to achieve. There are those that cover essential digital skills as well as ones that cover the full range of Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel and PowerPoint). If you want to use your digital skills to get a little creative, you can sign yourself up for a course on Adobe Photoshop.