I left school in 1996 with very mediocre exam results; having worked in a couple of other jobs I was just merrily plodding on in life. I started working at Fletchers bakery in Sheffield in May 2000 and after a few years I became the branch secretary of the union and this is where my learning journey began.

I did all the shop steward courses as well as all the health and safety courses and this gave me a taste of learning. I wasn’t very good with computers and my full time official passed me on to the BFAWU learning services who put me on to the free online courses. When I’d completed I began to feel more confident using them.

I went on the union learning representative courses which showed me how to help others in my branch and also my family. As the years rolled by I helped several people get on to courses and, with the help of the BFAWU project worker, we were there to help people with whatever issues they may have had.

Fast forward a few years, a job was advertised for a project worker and my now boss, Lisa Greenfield, who at the time was my project worker, said to me why don’t you apply. My initial thought was ‘I am not good enough to do this’ but Lisa gave me the confidence to go for it and signposted me to courses that would help me in my role if successful.

I signed up and did an online Level 2 course in Equality and diversity in which I passed with flying colours so I went onto the next one, Information, Advice and Guidance that I also passed, whilst doing these my project worker was there supporting me.

Having completed the courses it gave me the confidence to go for the job. I was petrified about having an interview but again Lisa signposted me to sites that could help with CV writing, interview skills and lots of other useful things that would help me with my interview.

So the interview went well and I was offered the job which I took and led me to being a project worker for the BFAWU, a role that I am in at present.

I go around the branches in the regions and let people know the benefits of learning and give them the confidence to do courses, to better themselves and make their home/work life much more comfortable. It is proven that people who do courses are much more likely to get promotions.

Even with Covid-19 we have continued to serve the people who have unfortunately lost their jobs due to the pandemic by doing CV writing over the phone for them and signed them up to job sites so they can be ready for their new challenges. In the current climate we are needed more than ever to bring these services to the people who need it the most.

I absolutely love my job and none of what I have achieved would have been possible without BFAWU Learning Services. If this service is taken away there will be thousands of people who will not be able to engage in the fabulous service we provide that is open to everyone.