Free training in Graphic / Web design?

mullymully

I've recently been made redundant (I was a graphic designer) and upon enquiring, the JS can't offer any training to get my skills up to date (the company I was with was in decline for a long while). Also as I'm in my 30s I don't qualify for various training schemes anyway, aimed at those under 25 (which the JS actually told me was all about statistics and nothing to do with helping people, not nice but at least they were honest!).

I've contacted several local companies about unpaid work experience in my field, but so far no luck - although the JS now allows voluntary work in other sectors other than just for charities which doesn't affect your JSA, I think the uproar regarding unpaid interns etc. may be preventing people from wanting to take me on - because of my age (again) some places only allow "shadowing" to avoid being accused of exploiting free labour - if you're under a certain age you can technically do the whole apprentice thing and those concerns don't apply.

Does anyone know of anywhere I can go or enquire about free training in my sector for those on contribution-based JSA? I will not be eligible for income-based once my 6 months is up, due to my OH's income. Or any companies who would take me on? I'm not sure where to go from here. I have to say it's quite bemusing that people don't even want me working for them for free, makes me realise how difficult it's actually going to be to get a salaried job.

Ultimately I have no problem applying for other jobs out there, be it cleaner, admin or whatever else I think I could do, but would make sense to try and stay in the same industry as I'm more likely to get offered a salary above minimum wage, which sadly won't cover my financial commitments

saintjammyswine

Contact your local FE College and ask about fee remission for people in receipt of benefits, rules have changed recently so you may be able to study p/t.

DKLS

How out of date are your skills, if you only a few versions back of photoshop etc it shouldn't be too hard to update your skills, There are a load of websites that offer free training in all the relevant and latest gd software packages.

Do you have an online portfolio, that you can show prospective employers? If you don't have one, get one created, along with a linked in account which links to your portfolio.

mullymully

Thankyou for your replies. My local college doesn't offer courses along the lines of design (used to 6/7 years ago but they stopped for some reason) so I'll have to look further afield.

I didn't use CS suite to the extent most designers do, it was mostly Corel which hardly anyone uses, so although I am capable, I'm not fluent in those packages apart from Photoshop. And it is also to do with the type of work I was doing - really bottom-end stuff, so nothing that would really shine in a portfolio. And a lot of places ask for web-based experience of which I have some but it's by old-fashioned methods and not using the latest coding techniques usually asked for.

Which is where on-the-job experience would help, I'd be back 'in the loop' and be able to work in a team (I was mainly on my own before) who could share ideas and experience, with 'proper' projects to work on, which would help with the portfolio as well.

I do intend to teach myself the design packages at home and to make up my own projects to improve my portfolio, but it pales in comparison to learning on the job and getting back into the 21st century with design concepts, so to speak.