Not only is learning a new skill a great way to engage your brain and flex your creative muscles, but a rewarding opportunity to find a new hobby, improve your CV and boost your mental wellbeing, too.
From counselling to creating stained glass windows, discover SoGlos’s round up of 12 courses to sign up to at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College in 2025.
Creativity for Wellbeing: Artist Books at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
Arts and creativity are key to improving wellbeing, resilience, innovation, and community strength — and SGS's range of Creativity for Wellbeing courses focus on these benefits by helping students improve their physical and mental health, boost confidence, and develop social skills.
Artists Books is new to the Wellbeing for Creativity portfolio! Requiring no prior experience, this part-time course is project based, with a key focus on experimentation and play. Drawing from diverse themes such as landscape, still-life and pattern as a starting point, you will be gently introduced to various art techniques such as collage, monoprint and mark-making that will enable you to develop ideas for your book.
Drawing and painting Still-Life with Jack Duplock at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
Discover the timeless art of still life in this inspiring course, where you’ll learn to observe and capture still-life scenes through drawing and painting.
Guided by experienced tutor Jack Duplock, you’ll master foundational drawing techniques before exploring colour, texture, and composition with oils and watercolours. Along the way, you’ll find inspiration from great still-life artists and create your own expressive works to develop your artistic confidence.
Creative Writing with Ronnie McGrath at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
Whether you are writing to get published or just for fun, this 10-week course takes an innovative approach to writing poetry and fiction by making the familiar strange and educating the imagination through a play with words.
Led by established poet and writer Ronnie McGrath, the course provides learners with the opportunity to explore the boundaries of writing to construct unique pieces of work that focus on contemporary poetry and the short story form.
Jewellery Making course at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
If you're passionately creative and enjoy working with your hands, the jewellery making course at SGS College could be for you.
Discover the art of jewellery making in this inspiring course, where you'll design and craft stunning silver and metal pieces that reflect your unique style. You'll learn essential techniques like silver soldering, saw piercing, annealing, and enamelling while working on your own design project.
Skills Bootcamp — Air Source Heat Pump at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
Interested in leading the world to a greener, most sustainable future? With the government’s commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050, an estimated 600,000 additional heat pump installers are needed to meet the imminent demand — and you could help.
In this Skills Bootcamp, students will gain a Level 3 qualification in the installation and maintenance of air source heat pumps, accredited by LCL Awards. Aimed at plumbers, gas and heating engineers, or individuals looking for a career change, this course will introduce you to the latest in renewable technology — specifically air source heat pumps.
Maths Functional Skills at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
Have you ever wanted to improve your maths skills to make everyday life easier? Well, it's never too late!
Whether it’s helping your family with homework, managing your finances, or simply feeling more confident with numbers, this part-time Food For Thought course is a brilliant starting point. Across eight weeks, you’ll gain valuable maths skills while enjoying real rewards for your progress.
English Functional Skills at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
Fundamental for success both in personal and professional life, this English Functional Skills course is designed for those wanting to enhance practical communication skills, enabling you to navigate life, learning, and work effectively.
Offering the opportunity to earn a nationally recognised qualification in English, real-life scenarios, including reading and writing instructions, articles, letters, emails, and job applications, will be thoroughly explored, equipping you with effective communication skills, empowering you to confidently express yourself and engage in independent learning.
Understanding Climate Change and Environmental Awareness at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
Our planet is facing the biggest natural challenge we have ever known, with carbon emissions and pollution creating some of the worst disasters humankind has seen. We all need to step up and make changes in our personal and professional lives, embracing new ways of living to ensure a sustainable future.
Suitable those wishing to promote sustainability in the workplace, during this qualification you will learn more about climate change and the adaptations you can make to be a driver of change in the workplace and at home. Plus, you will also explore renewable energy and how to reduce energy consumption.
Counselling Courses at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
SGS College's counselling training programmes are designed to help students gain the core knowledge and skills needed for counselling, as well as how to use them ethically and safely in a variety of situations.
There's a range of online, blended and in-class counselling courses that will help you gain the knowledge and skills to make a real difference, with progression routes available to allow you to go from Level 2 right up to level 4 with SGS College's qualified and experienced team.
Professional and Financial Courses at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
Stand out in today’s competitive marketplace with professional and financial programmes — such as bookkeeping and accounting — designed to help you excel in your career.
Unlock new opportunities for personal and professional growth with the L2 AAT Certificate in Accounting, teaching you how to deal with bookkeeping for sales, payments and receipts in a typical junior entry-level accounting role; or L2 AAT Certificate in Bookkeeping, equipping you with new skills and essential knowledge to manage books effectively. It includes manual double entry bookkeeping, and associated documents and processes, up to trial balance standard.
IT for Work at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
Does the online world feel intimidating and daunting? Or perhaps you're unsure on how to access and use emails; SGS College's IT for Work sessions are available for learners with a little computing knowledge who need to improve their skills.
Suitable for learners with a basic knowledge of email and the internet, during this course you will build on your knowledge to improve the use of software like Word and Excel, to use emails, to manage data securely and to use the internet and social media for work.
Understanding Autism at South Gloucestershire and Stroud College
More than 700,000 people in the UK are autistic, and 2.8 million have a relative on the spectrum — and whether you’re building your career or raising awareness, this course is ideal for anyone wanting to understand autism better.
Perfect for those working in health, social care, education or supporting autistic family, friends or colleagues, the course follows six key areas: autism in context, positive behavioural support, managing transitions, therapeutic interventions, communication and social interaction, and safeguarding and resilience.
