For those who need help learning the basics of the English language, there is the Adult Migrant English Program, or AMEP.
Catherine Devlin, Operations Manager at Adult Learning Australia, explains what it is.
“The Adult Migrant English Program provides English language courses for eligible migrants and also for humanitarian entrants. For eligible people, they can get up to 510 hours of free English language tuition. That's sort of aimed at migrants for settlement purposes."
The AMEP is offered to newly arrived permanent residents, refugees and holders of several temporary visas.
It's offered all over Australia, and for most eligible people, the courses are free.
If you already have a foundation in English, but you need to improve your reading and writing skills to find a job, you should look into the Skills for Education and Employment program, also called SEE.
“There's also another program called the SEE program. The SEE program provides English language, literacy and numeracy training, and that's more geared towards job seekers. Eligible people have access to up to 800 hours for free of English language, literacy and numeracy training that has more of a job focus."
These language courses are given in community and adult learning centres, which helps to pathway into professional courses later on.
Adult learning providers are very flexible learning environments.
Students can take lessons in a classroom or do distance learning.
They can study full-time or part-time, during the day or in the evening. They also often offer childcare services.
And they cater very well to students from different linguistic backgrounds.
To find more about the Adult Migrant English Program and the Skills for Education and Employment program, and to check if you're eligible, go to the Australian government website.
And to find an adult learning provider near you, check out the Adult Leaning Australia website.
Useful links:
Adult Learning Australia
