Our free Skills Bootcamps give you the opportunity to build up sector-specific skills and support you towards advancing your career.
Whether you're looking for a new job or want to progress in your current industry, our free Skills Bootcamps open the door to a range of new and exciting opportunities.
You don't need any prior knowledge of the subject, just an interest and willingness to learn. These online short courses provide you with the digital skills employers look for, as well as pathways to getting a job. You'll also benefit from employment support including techniques for job applications and taking part in mock interviews.
Skills Bootcamps are short courses of up to 12 weeks that allow you to build up sector-specific skills and support you towards getting interviews. They're for adults who want to retrain and pursue a career in a new field.
We're delivering these in partnership with employers, providers and local authorities. These courses are fully funded by the Department for Education and help you gain skills for life, help support skills demands in your area, and ultimately help you to get a job.
Before you apply to one of our short courses, there are a few things to consider.
These free online short courses are designed to fit around other commitments and involve around 30 hours of study per week. A positive mindset is key to successfully complete these Skills Bootcamps.
It's important to note that you're expected to spend a number of hours outside of teaching on independent study to support your learning. Your lecturers will support you with reading activities to do during your independent study.
Eligibility requirements vary from course to course but generally you must:
Some of our Skills Bootcamps require you to live in specific parts of the country (e.g. Bath, Bristol, Gloucestershire) so please check the specific Skills Bootcamp web page for more information.
Working alongside our partners we're able to provide these courses free of charge. You can complete one government funded Skills Bootcamp per financial year, however we only accept applications from those who haven't completed one in the last two years.
If you're being sent for training by your employer, your employer will need to pay up to 30% of the total fees depending on the size of the company. If this is the case, please contact us at skillsbootcamps@bathspa.ac.uk for more details.
You'll receive six months of employability support after completing a Skills Bootcamp. This includes your lecturers signposting you to networking events and job vacancies. You'll also receive a quarterly newsletter with the latest training opportunities, jobs fairs and tech events.
As our Skills Bootcamps are fully funded by the Department for Education, there is an expectation from the DfE that you'll keep in touch with us to let us know about any interviews or job offers you receive after completing the short course. We'll provide you with a short form that you must get your new employer to fill out in order for us to provide evidence to the DfE.
Adam Grover knew he wanted a career change. With the help of the Skills Bootcamp in Creative Computing he's started a new career as a web developer.
Read Adam's story
Skills Bootcamp in Creative Computing student Madeleine Perry recounts her experience on the course. She tells us her top tips for completing a Skills Bootcamp and her highlights of the 12 weeks.
Read Maddie's experience
Wells resident Ollie Wilkes, 22, knew he wanted to switch careers mid-pandemic, he just didn’t know where to start. With the help of our Skills Bootcamp in Creative Computing, he’s now embarked on a new career as a junior developer. He believes it was a valuable experience in his journey to getting hired.
Read Ollie's story
"I improved my web development skills, teamwork skills and my overall confidence on camera. My experience was something I'll never forget, if I could do it again I wouldn't change a thing."
Ash, Student, Skills Bootcamp in Web Development
Meet Skills Bootcamps in Web Development and Creative Computing lecturer, Dr Amira Ahmed. She has over a decade of academic and commercial experience and has led several projects as a software developer and designer. Amira describes how the Skills Bootcamps make coding accessible and how coding is seen as a vital skill and an illustrious career path in today's society.
Read Amira Ahmed's story
Meet Skills Bootcamp in Creative Computing lecturer, James Shaw. He brings together his experience of working as a freelance graphic designer and his knowledge surrounding ideation, design development and design process in his teaching. James describes the digital soft skills that students learn on the course as well as highlighting how the Skills Bootcamp builds confidence and opens the door to new opportunities within the creative sector.
Read James Shaw's story
If you have any queries please contact skillsbootcamps@bathspa.ac.uk
Read the privacy notices about signing up for these Skills Bootcamps, including how and why your personal data will be collected, and what it will be used for.
Amira
Ahmed
Jason
John
Zac
Richards
Oliver
Berman
James
Shaw
Carey
Hunt