insideKENT Magazine Issue 24 - March 2014 | Page 145

BUSINESS insideKENT INTERVIEWS Mark Gower OF KENT ADULT EDUCATION Give us a brief history of Kent Adult Education. How did it come about? Kent Adult Education was formed in 2002 when six regional providers were pulled together. The creation allowed Kent Adult Education to develop a more substantial and consistent adult education provision across the county. and payment options to help those who may find it difficult paying for a course in one go. What options do you offer in terms of course fees and funding? All courses will have a fee attached, but some courses are eligible for concessions, whilst others may be completely funded by an external body. picked up in most libraries or in one of our centres. You’ll be able to browse all of the courses that we have on offer, but don’t forget to check the website too, as this is always being updated with new and exciting subjects. All of our courses are delivered by fully qualified tutors, some of which are internationally recognised in their field, so you can be sure you will be getting the best experience possible. Tell us a little bit about the courses you offer. We offer a fantastic range of over 3,500 courses throughout the 2013/14 academic year – all of which can be accessed through our county-wide network of centres. Our Kent Adult Education courses fall into the following nine categories: art, business, craft, general studies, health and fitness, languages, personal development, photography and computing and GCSE and ALevels. Some courses may also incur additional costs for materials, which can sometimes be purchased from your tutor. Examination fees are normally included in the cost of the course, but if the examination fee is published separately it must be paid in full and any concessions or discounts deducted from the cost of the course will not apply. This is usually because the examining body is a separate organisation with their own fees. Visit www.kentadulteducation.co.uk for more information on fee payment options. Our broad range of courses vary from single and half-day classes, to ones that run for up to 32 weeks of the year. Courses are also available during the day, in the evenings and at the weekend. What advice would you give someone who is considering enrolling on a course under Kent Adult Education? How do you feel the current economic climate has affected your centres and attendance? By ensuring that our provision stays relevant and picks up on the current trends, we have been able to combat the effects of the current economic climate. We also price our courses very competitively, and offer a range of concessions What's next for Kent Adult Education? We’re going to continue to offer up-to-date and on-trend courses across Kent. We are always willing to listen to what our customers want, so if you can’t see a particular topic on our site, let us know and we can look into adding to our provision. Simply email [email protected] with your suggestions. Kent Adult Education is great for those who know what they want to do, and also for those who aren’t quite sure. If you know what you're interested in, have a look on our website and with over 3,500 courses to choose from, we are pretty sure that you will find what you are looking for. If you’re not sure then why not have a look through our Course Directory, which can be 145 www.kentadulteducation.co.uk