A woman who is taking an adult learning course in order to become a hairdresser has praised the government funding that is available.
Ashley Beeston, 19, is taking a course using money from the Adult Learning Grant, which offers people up to £30 a week to help with the cost of going back into learning.
Ms Beeston uses the cash to help cover the cost of her course and explained that having a child gave her the confidence to work on developing her skills.
"After I had Rhyley, I realised that if I could bring up a child, I was capable of doing anything I wanted," she said, adding that the money "has really made a huge difference" to her development.
People studying for NVQs, BTECs, GSCEs and A-levels can apply for the cash and use it to pay for books or to cover travel costs.
Provider development manager for the Learning and Skills Council Paul Donbavand noted that the price of getting back into learning "can discourage [people] from taking the first step".
He added that the money "is a great way of making learning more affordable" and said that gaining the right qualifications can give people a "head start" when looking for a job.
"People who go back to learning later in life often find that they're more focused and determined than they were the first time around," Mr Donbavand stated.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills announced recently that the launch of skills accounts is helping more people to take up adult learning courses.
These are currently on trial and are due to be introduced nationwide in autumn 2010.
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