UNISON Ulearn Northern Ireland

I went to a local school and in primary school I was told by the master that I was stupid, he also told my father who in turn told me that O’Levels are only for smart people, not for the likes of me. School wasn’t really a priority for my family, but all that made me determined to succeed, to prove them all wrong.

I wanted a good basic education and I did work hard and got O’Levels and A Levels and tried a few courses before going to the local college and did a business course with typing. I took a job in the Sperrin Lakeland Trust because it was local and secure and have been here for the past thirteen years in clerical roles. Even though I’ve been in UNISON for a number of years I’ve never taken up any of the courses. When I got the letter from UNISON about the CLAIT course with essential skills in the New Hope Centre, I thought it might help me with all the talk of the Knowledge & Skills Framework, it would be a chance to update my skills.

The course has covered Excel and Powerpoint and has been really useful for my job, because even though I use computers in my job, it’s really only one package. I really enjoyed the English elements, I was surprised about how much I learned. I went along with my friend and she really got a lot out of the English part, it helped her develop her skills and it gave her the confidence to go on and undertake other courses locally. The tutor has been great and has integrated the English into the computer skills.

The course has lasted a year, which has given us a chance to take things at our own pace. As part of the course we had to research a topic. I did mental health, looking at depression and the services which are available including the types of drugs and alternative therapies. I interviewed CPNs, social workers and talked to a former patient which was very interesting. I’d definitely recommend this course for anyone who’d like to get back into learning and gain useful skills.