More than 600 residents have found help with brushing up on their digital skills and finding work since new learning zones were opened across the borough 2 years ago.
Learning zones are a one-stop shop for residents to access a wide range of training and learning opportunities. Ealing Council set up 4 of them: in Acton, Northolt, and Southall libraries, and in Hanwell community centre.
A digital training room
Digital technology has changed the way we teach and learn. Learning zones are digitally equipped rooms that have been set up to provide training – both online classes and in-person sessions. Learners can link up with the other zones for simultaneous online classes. All digital training rooms have Wi-Fi, laptops and cameras.
The zones also support the borough’s 4 community hubs, which help residents to access council services.
Learn Ealing
They are run by the council’s adult learning team, Learn Ealing, and offer all kinds of subjects – from studying English, to improving maths and numeracy skills, to learning digital skills. Since 2022, Learn Ealing has helped 159 people getjobsand 62 learners have received promotions in their current roles or started a new voluntary position.
Ansam and Hamid moved to the UK from Iraq and are taking classes to improve their English.
Ansam said: “This is a great course. The classes are fun and interesting, and our teacher is always there to support us. She is the best. Our English has improved quickly in a very short time, and we never feel bored.”
For more information about the Learning Zone courses, go to the Learn Ealing website.
Digital access for all
Councillor Louise Brett, the council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “Digital skills are important for work, learning and daily life. As part of the council’s Good Jobs plan, we want to support our most vulnerable residents to upskill or retrain, so that they can get on a path to a good job. The learning zones bring us one step closer to giving everyone access to the devices and skills they need to get online.”
