TechStart Training Academy
Free tech training for unemployed people | Start your digital career
Launch Your Tech Career in 8-16 Weeks
TechStart provides intensive, industry-recognized training courses in digital skills, coding, and data analysis. FREE for unemployed people through government funding. We’ve helped over 2,400 people start tech careers since 2018. 85% employment rate within 6 months of graduation.
💻 What We Teach
- Digital Skills Bootcamp (8 weeks)
- Full-Stack Coding (12 weeks)
- Data Analysis & Python (10 weeks)
- Cybersecurity Essentials (10 weeks)
- Cloud Computing (AWS) (8 weeks)
- UX/UI Design (8 weeks)
🎯 What’s Included
- Industry-recognized certificates
- Expert instructors (10+ years experience)
- Laptops provided (keep after course!)
- Small class sizes (max 16 people)
- Job placement support
- 1-year alumni mentoring
- Real-world projects for portfolio
💰 Funding Options
- FREE if unemployed (via DWP)
- FREE if on Universal Credit
- £1,500-£3,000 if employed (interest-free payment plans)
- Employer-funded (we invoice them)
- Career development loans available
- No upfront costs for unemployed
📖 Graduate Story: From Retail to Software Developer in 16 Weeks
Marcus, 28, worked in retail management for 6 years earning £24k. When his store closed in 2024, he was made redundant. With no degree and no tech experience, he felt stuck. He’d always been interested in coding but thought it was “too late” to change careers.
“I saw TechStart advertised at the Job Centre. I was skeptical – how could 12 weeks make me job-ready? But it was free and I had nothing to lose. Best decision I ever made. The course was intense – 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, plus homework. But the instructors were incredible. They’d worked at Google, Amazon, startups. They taught us real coding, not theory. We built actual projects. By week 8, I’d built a full e-commerce site. By week 12, I had a portfolio website with 4 projects. TechStart’s job placement team connected me with employers. I had 3 interviews within 2 weeks of finishing. I’m now a Junior Developer at a Manchester tech company earning £32k – £8k more than retail! And I actually love my job.”
Marcus’s journey with TechStart:
- Before: Retail manager, £24k, made redundant, no tech experience
- Course: Full-Stack Coding Bootcamp (12 weeks, FREE via DWP)
- During: Learned HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Node.js, databases
- Projects built: E-commerce site, weather app, task manager, portfolio site
- Certificate: TechStart Full-Stack Developer (industry-recognized)
- After course: 3 job interviews within 2 weeks
- Outcome: Junior Developer role, £32k salary (33% pay rise!)
- Now: Working in tech, career progression, earning more, job satisfaction
Marcus is just one of 2,400+ success stories. This could be you.
Our Courses Explained
All courses are intensive, full-time (Monday-Friday), and designed to get you job-ready fast.
💻 Full-Stack Coding Bootcamp
Who it’s for: Complete beginners OR people with some basic coding knowledge who want to become professional developers.
What you’ll learn:
- Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, responsive design
- Backend: Node.js, Express, RESTful APIs, databases
- Databases: SQL, MongoDB, database design
- Version control: Git, GitHub, collaboration
- Deployment: Hosting, domains, going live
- Professional skills: Code reviews, testing, debugging
Daily schedule:
- 9:00am-10:30am: Instructor-led teaching (new concepts)
- 10:30am-12:30pm: Hands-on coding challenges
- 12:30pm-1:30pm: Lunch break
- 1:30pm-3:00pm: Pair programming exercises
- 3:00pm-5:00pm: Project work (building real applications)
- Evening: Homework (1-2 hours) + optional study groups
Assessment: No exams. Assessment through 4 major projects you’ll build:
- Project 1: Landing page (HTML/CSS/JavaScript)
- Project 2: Frontend app (React + API)
- Project 3: Full-stack app with database
- Project 4: Final project (your choice) with presentation
What you get:
- Laptop (MacBook or Windows) – yours to keep after course
- All software and tools (VS Code, Git, hosting, etc.)
- Access to online learning platform (videos, tutorials, resources)
- Certificate of completion (industry-recognized)
- Portfolio of 4+ working projects
- Job placement support for 6 months
Job outcomes:
- 85% in work within 6 months
- Typical roles: Junior Developer, Frontend Developer, Full-Stack Developer
- Average starting salary: £28k-£35k
- Top employers: Tech startups, digital agencies, corporate IT teams
📊 Data Analysis & Python Course
Who it’s for: Anyone wanting to work with data – business analysts, data analysts, data scientists (junior level).
What you’ll learn:
- Python fundamentals: Variables, functions, loops, data structures
- Data manipulation: Pandas, NumPy, cleaning messy data
- Data visualization: Matplotlib, Seaborn, creating charts & graphs
- Statistics: Descriptive stats, probability, hypothesis testing
- SQL: Querying databases, joins, aggregations
- Excel advanced: Pivot tables, VLOOKUP, Power Query
- Dashboard creation: Power BI, Tableau basics
Real-world projects:
- Analyze sales data for fictional company (find trends, make recommendations)
- Clean and visualize messy social media dataset
- Build predictive model (e.g., predict house prices from features)
- Create executive dashboard in Power BI
- Final project: Analyze real dataset of your choice, present findings
Job outcomes:
- Typical roles: Data Analyst, Business Analyst, Junior Data Scientist, BI Analyst
- Average starting salary: £26k-£32k
- Industries: Finance, retail, healthcare, marketing, tech, government
🌐 Digital Skills Bootcamp
Who it’s for: Complete beginners to tech. Perfect if you’re not sure which area of tech interests you yet.
What you’ll learn:
- Web basics: HTML, CSS, building simple websites
- Digital marketing: SEO, social media, Google Ads basics
- Data skills: Excel, Google Sheets, basic data analysis
- Design: Canva, basic graphic design, branding
- Content creation: Copywriting, blogging, video basics
- Professional tools: WordPress, email marketing, CRM systems
Job outcomes:
- Typical roles: Digital Marketing Assistant, Junior Web Admin, Social Media Coordinator, Content Creator
- Average starting salary: £20k-£26k
- Many use this as a stepping stone to more specialized tech courses
Great starter course! Not sure if tech is for you? Start here. It’s only 8 weeks and gives you a taste of different areas.
🔒 Cybersecurity Essentials
What you’ll learn:
- Network security fundamentals
- Threat detection and incident response
- Ethical hacking basics
- Security testing and vulnerability assessment
- Compliance and risk management
- Practical labs using real security tools
Certification: Course prepares you for CompTIA Security+ (industry standard cert)
Job outcomes:
- Typical roles: Junior Security Analyst, SOC Analyst, Security Tester
- Average starting salary: £28k-£35k
- High demand! Cybersecurity has 15,000+ unfilled roles in UK
☁️ Cloud Computing (AWS)
What you’ll learn:
- AWS cloud fundamentals (EC2, S3, RDS, Lambda)
- Cloud architecture and design
- Deploying and managing applications in cloud
- Infrastructure as Code (Terraform)
- DevOps basics (CI/CD pipelines)
Certification: Prepares for AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
Job outcomes:
- Typical roles: Cloud Support Engineer, Junior DevOps Engineer, Cloud Administrator
- Average starting salary: £30k-£38k
🎨 UX/UI Design Course
What you’ll learn:
- User research and personas
- Wireframing and prototyping (Figma)
- Visual design principles
- Usability testing
- Responsive web design
- Building a design portfolio
Job outcomes:
- Typical roles: Junior UX Designer, UI Designer, Product Designer
- Average starting salary: £25k-£32k
Our Training Centres
📍 Manchester Centre
Address:
TechStart House
45 Portland Street
Manchester
M1 4QX
Phone: 0161 555 4000
Courses: All courses available
Facilities: 3 training rooms, 50 workstations, café, breakout space
Transport:
– 5 min walk from Piccadilly Gardens
– Tram: St Peter’s Square
– Parking: NCP Portland Street
📍 Leeds Centre
Address:
Digital Hub
22 Park Row
Leeds
LS1 5JF
Phone: 0113 555 4000
Courses: Coding, Data, Digital Skills
Facilities: 2 training rooms, 30 workstations, meeting rooms
Transport:
– 10 min walk from Leeds station
– Bus: City Square stops
– Parking: Q-Park nearby
💻 Online Option
Live remote learning available for most courses
Same schedule: 9am-5pm Monday-Friday
Same outcomes: Same certificate, same job support
Requirements:
– Reliable internet
– Quiet workspace
– Webcam (we provide laptop)
Good for: People outside Manchester/Leeds, parents with childcare needs, anyone preferring remote
How to Apply
Check Eligibility
Unemployed or on UC? You’re likely eligible for free funding. Employed? You’ll pay but can use payment plan.
Book Info Session
Free 1-hour session (weekly) where we explain courses, answer questions, show facilities. Book online or call.
Submit Application
Simple online form (10 mins). No CV needed. We’ll assess your commitment and motivation, not your background.
Start Learning!
If accepted, we’ll handle funding paperwork. You start on course date with your laptop and classmates!
Common Questions
❓ Do I need any experience or qualifications to apply?
No! Most courses are designed for complete beginners. You don’t need A-levels, degree, or previous tech experience. All we ask is commitment, enthusiasm, and the ability to attend 9am-5pm Monday-Friday for the course duration.
❓ I’m 45 and worried I’m too old to learn tech – is that true?
Absolutely not! Our oldest graduate was 58. We have students from 18-58, with average age around 32. Career changers in their 30s-40s often do brilliantly because they bring work experience, professionalism, and motivation. Age is NOT a barrier.
❓ How do I get free funding if I’m unemployed?
If you’re receiving Universal Credit, JSA, or are unemployed and registered with Job Centre, you qualify for government-funded training. We handle all the paperwork – you just need to provide proof of benefits or unemployment. Takes 1-2 weeks to process.
❓ Can I work part-time while doing the course?
Not really. Courses are full-time (9am-5pm) plus 1-2 hours homework each evening. Weekend part-time work is possible but courses are intense – most students focus 100% on learning. If you’re on benefits, you’re allowed to study full-time.
❓ What if I don’t have a laptop?
We provide one! Every student gets a laptop (MacBook or Windows – depends on course) on day 1. It’s yours to keep after you graduate. You also get all software, accounts, and tools included.
❓ Will I definitely get a job after the course?
We can’t guarantee jobs – no honest training provider can. But our stats speak for themselves: 85% in work within 6 months. We provide CV help, interview prep, portfolio reviews, and direct connections to hiring employers. Many students get job offers before finishing the course.
❓ How much can I expect to earn after graduating?
Depends on the course and your background, but typical starting salaries: Coding (£28k-£35k), Data Analysis (£26k-£32k), Cybersecurity (£28k-£35k), Cloud (£30k-£38k), Digital Skills (£20k-£26k), UX Design (£25k-£32k). Many see pay rises of 30-50% compared to previous jobs.
❓ What if I start the course and realize it’s not for me?
You can withdraw in the first 2 weeks with no penalty. After that, if you’re funded, you may have to repay funding (depends on circumstances). If you’re self-paying, no refunds after week 2. We run free taster sessions so you can try before committing fully.
❓ Can I do a course online / remotely?
Yes! Most courses are available online with live instruction (same 9am-5pm schedule as in-person). You’ll join via Zoom, work on projects, collaborate with classmates. Laptop still provided and posted to you. Great option if you’re not near Manchester or Leeds.
❓ I have caring responsibilities – can I still attend?
Possibly. Courses run 9am-5pm which may work around school hours. Some students arrange childcare. If you’re on benefits, you may be able to claim extra childcare support while training. Discuss with us – we want to help you find a way.
❓ What’s the application process and how long does it take?
1) Attend free info session (1 hour), 2) Submit online application (10 mins), 3) Phone interview (20 mins), 4) Accept place and complete funding forms (1-2 weeks). Total: 2-3 weeks from initial enquiry to course start.
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