learndirect keeps brain active
After being made redundant from a job she had had for 13 years, 58 year old Christine France was only able to find part time and temporary work. So she decided that she needed to improve her skills in order to get on and find a better job.
Christine takes up the story: “I’d done maths and English courses with learndirect already when I was first made redundant, so I knew I liked them. When I was looking for work, it seemed all the jobs I was interested in wanted someone who had an ECDL. At that point I didn’t even know what one was, but I decided if I wanted to get a new job there was one thing for it – get on and do it!
“I’d not had a particularly good time of it at school, but I knew that learndirect worked for me, and I’ve always been interested in computers, so I enrolled on an ECDL course at the Bolton WISE centre, which is near to where I live.
“I usually go to the centre about two or three times a week, but I’ve just had an operation which means I’m not as mobile at the moment. That’s when the fact that you can do the courses online really comes in handy. I can study at my own pace from my computer at home and fit it around my life. I really like the way that you can repeat parts you’re not too sure of and I never feel like I’m being left behind.
“The centre staff are fabulous. My tutor Jenny is brilliant; she really helps me understand the trickier parts of the course and gives me loads of support. I like going to the centre so much I arranged for transport recently to take my tests. “I feel much more confident about my prospects now and I’m hoping that the ECDL will lead to a new job in administration – and in the mean time it’s certainly helping to keep my brain active!”