A staff member at Able Skills assists a student in an examination centre or classroom

One of the biggest hurdles we encounter when talking to people about construction training is how they could manage to fit it in around everything else they have going on in life. 

The idea of embarking on a training course, particularly an advanced one that lasts a number of weeks, can be incredibly daunting for someone already in full-time work or with family/caring commitments.

However, to make construction training more accessible, many trade courses can now be completed on a part-time or flexible basis, with sessions planned to fit around your own schedule. 

With 2023 on the horizon, and many using the new year as an opportunity to embark on a new career path, below are a few of the ways you can begin your training on a more flexible basis than traditional routes. 

Can I train on weekends? 

Yes, weekend learning is a popular choice and a number of courses can be completed entirely on this basis.

Can I break longer courses down into separate blocks?

Yes. Some of the more advanced trade courses, which would usually take a set amount of consecutive weeks to complete, can be broken into more manageable blocks of learning. For example, a course that might usually last seven consecutive weeks could be completed in seven separate weekly blocks at a time, allowing you to spread the duration of the course over a number of months. 

Can I merge courses if I decide on further training?

Much of what you’ll learn in the first week of an advanced course will be similar to what you'll learn in an introductory course. 

If you initially signed up for an introductory trade course as a way of testing whether it was right for you, then decide you do in fact want to pursue more advanced training and qualifications, we can tailor the advanced course to account for what you’ve already learned in your introductory course, meaning the time required to complete your training will likely be less. 

Can I study at home?

The initial theory-based learning of some courses can be completed on a home-study basis, meaning you don’t actually have to travel to the training centre until the practical workshop and assessment stage of your course. You can find a range of our home study courses here

If you’re looking for ways to fit a construction course around your prior commitments, our team would be happy to help. Head over to the website and take a look through the range of courses currently on offer.