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A charity is encouraging people across the country to get involved with adult learning in order to improve their lives and boost their confidence.
The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace) is launching its Sign Up Now campaign to help people get back into education.
The campaign is run every year in January and September, to encourage adults to sign up to a whole range of learning opportunities, with the aim of building confidence, and perhaps securing a new job.
Across the country, colleges, adult education centres and other organisations will offer a variety of courses from numeracy and computer skills to dressmaking and interpreting dreams.
Kamy Basra, Campaigns Officer at Niace said: "Make this year count. In these tough economic times the benefits of learning and improving our skills has never been more important - whether it is to stay in a job, or to get a job in the first place.
"Many people find a new lease of life when they decide to learn something new, so you may just want to take up learning for fun."
In the past, the Sign Up Now campaign has had several success stories. Michael Douglas, aged 31, from Norwich, was homeless and on benefits when he completed a 30-week course in education and sports skills training. Since then he has secured two part-time jobs, at Norwich FC and with the YMCA, and has volunteered as a coach with Football in the Community.
He said: "I have gained employment because of the skills I've learnt. Learning also helped me achieve my dreams of helping people and coaching. Without learning I wouldn't be the same person that I am now."
Gary Peel, aged 49, from Retford, got back into education after suffering a breakdown in his mental health. He has since become a teaching assistant at a local primary school.
He said, "Learning gave me an order to my life when I was ill. The more I learn and achieve, the more I want to go on to the next stage."
Niace, a non-government organisation for lifelong learning, has also published a book with advice to help people get back into learning or work, called The Really Useful Book of Learning and Earning 2010.
For more information about Sign Up Now, visit the website at www.signupnow.org.uk. Free careers advice is available by calling 0800 100 900.
