UNISON Ulearn Northern Ireland

I started working here as a homehelp in 1993. The job suited me because I was able to fit it around my family, I also had experience caring for my grandmother and I like people. I had left school at 17½ with some qualifications, I had completed a secretarial course and had some GCSEs but then got married at 18, moved to England and had my daughter. So I focused on my family and didn’t think any more about education.

I was also suffering panic attacks, I only felt safe at home, I didn’t like going out, I couldn’t go on long journeys without feeling very nervous. This really set me back, although I think of myself as intelligent, I just didn’t have the self confidence, I know it was completely irrational, but that’s where I was at then. I ended up getting divorced and moved back here. I passed my driving test in 1993 and that really gave me a lot of confidence and I applied for the job at Causeway.

I’d been a home help for over ten years and while I enjoyed it, I wanted to take a different route, but even with my qualifications I hadn’t a clue what might be possible. Then I got a leaflet from UNISON about a Return to Learn course and I went along to the information session. There was someone from the university who had already done the course and she spoke about it. She said that it wasn’t easy, it was a real challenge, but was very enjoyable. I thought to myself that maybe I could do it and I was definitely looking for a challenge.

I did really enjoy the course, there was lots of information, I learned so many new things and it was great for making new friends. It wasn’t anything like school, it was a small group with a tutor, we felt free to talk, to discuss things and bring our own experience. The tutor was very supportive, he made lessons interesting and fun. This was the first time I had done any learning since school and I really went for it and got six credits at level 3 and one at level 2. We received our certificates at a big celebration night in the university in Jordanstown.

This course whetted my appetite for learning and I went on to do night classes in IT and got distinctions up to word processing grade 3. But I didn’t feel that I had anywhere to go, because now that I had the confidence and skills, I had no experience. Then I had a conversation with Wilma McIlroy in the HR department about possible pathways and she arranged for me to come up and work in HR for a couple of hours a week to get office experience. That gave me confidence and a few months later I saw an add for a clerical officer and applied for it. Going for an interview was very daunting, but I had the Return to Learn behind me and my confidence had increased. It certainly has been a big step from home help to an office environment, but now I’ve moved to acting grade 3 and really enjoy my work. My advice to anyone considering going back to learning is to just take that first step.