Entry rules for free courses to be eased

STRICT rules on eligibility for free college courses under the Government’s jobs initiative are to be eased as they have blocked hundreds of unemployed people from qualifying.

Less than half of the 5,900 places in the Springboard scheme to up-skill jobseekers have so far been filled, and only 5,500 people have applied so far.

Around 2,700 people have accepted a course and nearly 3,000 applications are still being processed, including multiple applications from thousands of those anxious to improve their job prospects with new qualifications.