Adult Advice Hotline launched on 01392 400170 to help guide the way

Getting back in to education can feel like a challenge for any adult who is looking for a career change, or simply looking for ways to develop themselves professionally or personally.   

In order to help adult learners overcome that barrier, Exeter College have recruited two dedicated experts to provide impartial advice for people looking to return to education and achieve their full potential, whether that be on a full or part time basis, to support career or study progression, or as a hobby.  

“One of the biggest barriers for adults looking to develop their skills is that they don’t feel as if they understand all the options available to them,” said Lucinda Sanders, Director of Adult Learning at Exeter College.  

“We wanted to create these Adult Adviser roles as a way of breaking down that barrier in a way that’s completely impartial and simply lays out which direction an adult learner could go in. 

“We don’t want a lack of information to be a barrier to anyone looking at different study and funding options. Our Adult Advisers are experts across the spectrum of education and can give professional, thoughtful advice to anyone; whether that’s someone who knows exactly what they want to do, or someone who is just thinking about where they could go in the future.” 

With a wealth of options at Exeter College for adults to consider, the new Adult Advisers will act as a signpost to important information and can also discuss the individual circumstances of the adult learner and advise on which entry routes to consider.  

The college itself offers a wide variety of full and part time courses for people of any age, from introductory industry courses, to full degree level studies. Free courses are also available in GCSE English and Maths for eligible learners that run at times convenient to those who work with classes running 4 days a week and 2 evenings a week.  

For those wishing to study at degree level, the college offers routes for students with no formal qualifications – with hugely popular Access to Higher Education Diplomas – which are designed to prepare any learner for higher level study either at Exeter College or with other universities across the UK. 

Financial concerns were previously some of the biggest barriers to come back into education, not just those surrounding course availability and eligibility. The Adult Advisers will also be able to help with concerns over finance, loans and course fees.  

“We have found that a lot of adults who come to study with us are surprised at the amount of financial support they can receive,” said Lucinda. 

“There is financial support available for adults for help with childcare, low income families and those receiving Job Seeker’s Allowance. Advanced Learner Loans are also available for those studying eligible courses and meeting certain criteria. Finance can be one of the biggest reasons adults feel like they can’t achieve their education goals. The Adult Learning Advisers are here to show that in most cases that just isn’t the case anymore. 

“Our Adult Advisers will be available to let people know their rights when it comes to financing education in adult life. We want the whole process to be as non-threatening and transparent as possible. That’s why our Advisers are given the remit to be completely impartial in their advice and simply work out solutions that best suit the learner.”  

In addition to formal full and part time courses with the aim of up-skilling in a job or career, Exeter College also offers a range of leisure courses in the local community from Art to Yoga, and the new Adults Advisers will also be a point-of-contact for those wishing to learn more about these more informal short term courses.  

If you want to call the Adult Advisers at Exeter College for an informal chat about your future options in education then call 01392 400170, they’re available from 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday. They can also be contacted by email on adultadvice@exe-coll.ac.uk.  

Find out more about the range of courses available for adult learners at Exeter College in the course search.