EXETER College is putting on its biggest ever number of FREE, short, adult courses over early summer.

The 125 introductory courses are held mostly over three evening sessions or on Saturday mornings in college workshops, labs and lecture rooms.

Exact timings of the individual courses are listed in a new leaflet entitled First Steps, 10,000 of which are being distributed across Exeter and the heart of Devon.

There is a fantastic range of courses to choose from including car maintenance, hairdressing, wine-tasting, IT, Indian head massage, Japanese, Ayurveda, disability awareness and marine biology. All the courses are free and offered on a first come first served basis. There is no need to book beforehand but course candidates are advised to come on time to the first session since places are limited. If a course does prove to be full, however, Exeter College may be repeating it on another date.

The courses are categorised under the following headings:
Arts and crafts
DIY
Food and drink
Hairdressing and beauty therapy
Higher education
Health and care
IT and computing
Languages and communications
Life, work and money
Motor vehicle
Performing arts
Science and engineering
Sport and fitness

The courses kick off next Monday, April 23rd, with basic welding in the Centre for Creative Industries in Queen Street, followed by marine biology on Wednesday, April 25, and general science for the 21st century on Thursday, April 26, both in the Tower Building in Hele Road. All three courses are from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.
Marge Clarke, director of adult and community education at Exeter College, said: “This innovative programme of short courses is designed to give people in the community their first step back into learning. “It will turn them on to training and education and this will encourage them to improve their skills by taking further courses at the college. We know that more skills mean better job prospects. The range of courses is as wide as possible – there’s something for everyone.”
Anyone keen to carry on with a new interest, skill or hobby after taking a First Steps course should look out for the adult learning part-time course brochure out next month. It is packed with information including course fees about all the adult courses the college is running from September 2007.

Car parking is limited on college sites so candidates are asked to bear that in mind when travelling to courses.