Personal Learning Accounts

A Personal Learning Account will allow you to study fully funded, flexible part-time courses around your existing responsibilities.

Are you over 19 and living in Wales and earning under *£29,534 a year. Is your job at risk, or are you looking to develop your career in approved digital or green economies? We can help you onto the next step of your success story.

*There is no earning cap of £29,534 on approved courses or qualifications in digital or green skills.

What is a Personal Learning Account?

A Personal Learning Account will allow you to study part-time around your existing responsibilities. It will enable you to obtain the skills and qualifications you need to change your career or progress in your current job. Your study will take place through a college in Wales either online or face to face or a combination of both.

Personal Learning Accounts provide flexible courses and qualifications, which are fully funded by the Welsh Government.

You'll be able to get new skills and qualifications that local employers need to help you progress your current career or change it altogether.

Who is eligible for a Personal Learning Account?

Your eligibility will be checked when you apply.

You must:

• Live in Wales
• Want to gain skills/qualifications in priority sectors
• Be 19 years old or over

In addition, you must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Be employed (including self-employed) earning under the median income *£29,534 or
• Applying for an approved course to develop digital or green skills or
• A worker on a zero-hour contract or
• Agency staff or
• At risk of being made redundant or
• Offenders on day release

Full-time carers (paid or non-paid) may be offered Personal Learning Account funded provision where there is capacity on existitng courses.

You won't be eligible if when you apply you are:

• Under the age of 19 or
• Attending school or college full-time as a pupil or student or
• In full-time higher education or
• In Welsh Government funded Work Based Learning
• An ineligible overseas national or
• In receipt of an Assembly Learning Grant or Education Maintenance Allowance or
• Unemployed (you do not have a contract of employment)

Redundancy and Personal Learning Account

The Personal Learning Account programme is open to you if you are at risk of redundancy. If you are unfortunately made redundant while undertaking your learning, you are encouraged to continue with your learning if circumstances allow.

Personal Learning Accounts will be managed in collaboration with the ReAct+ programme. You should continue your learning and not exit the Personal Learning Account programme early to access ReAct+.

If you are studying through a Personal Learning Account, you will not be able to receive ReAct+ vocational training support at the same time.

However, you can access the following support from the ReAct+ programme if you are eligible:

• The wage subsidy element of the ReAct+ programme (Employer Recruitment Support)
• The ReAct+ employers training grant (Employer Training Support)
• Continue training through the Personal Learning Account

How to apply for a Personal Learning Account

The application process is straightforward and simple. It involves a pre-admissions digital interview with an experienced careers adviser from Working Wales. The careers adviser will provide you with the chance to discuss career aspirations and goals and ensure that the course is the right pathway for you. Please contact us to arrange an interview.

Please note: You can also contact colleges directly.

Where can I use a Personal Learning Account?

Colleges across Wales are offering courses through the Personal Learning Account:

Bridgend College

Cardiff and Vale College

Coleg Cambria

Coleg Ceredigion

Coleg Gwent

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai

Coleg Sir Gâr

Coleg y Cymoedd

Gower College Swansea

The College Merthyr Tydfil

Neath Port Talbot (NPTC) Group of colleges

Pembrokeshire College

St David’s Catholic College

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