When communication workers union (CWU) learning representative (ULR) Sally Joyner received the news that the Royal Mail delivery centre she had worked in for almost 30 years was about to close, she knew that the skills and qualifications she had gained through the union learning route would stand her in good stead for a mid-life career change.

Sally was ready to change careers after 20 years working as an Operational Grade Postperson and began applying for different jobs. She quickly recognised that she needed to brush up her maths and English skills and gain some up-to-date qualifications in order to move on.

She enrolled and passed a numeracy and then literacy exam and was spotted by her union as a potential union learning representative (ULR). She completed the TUC ULR Stage 1 (and later Stage 2) course and began to put learning opportunities in place for her colleagues.

Sally remembers;

It was hard going at first as some of them were cynical about learning, they had had bad experiences at school. I tried to reassure them that it was different to being at school."

Over the next few years, as well as taking on the role of ULR and women's officer in her branch, Sally continued with her own learning journey. She completed Level 3 and 4 qualifications in Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) and gained a Preparing to teach in the lifelong learning sector (PTLLS) qualification. She gained a Certificate of Professional Development in union learning at London Metropolitan University, completed courses in domestic violence and communications and media skills and qualified as a TUC tutor. And after being diagnosed as having dyslexic tendencies, she went on to gain Level 2 and 3 dyslexia awareness qualifications.

The diagnosis made a lot of things fit into place and enabled me to be more sympathetic. I was able to break down barriers for other people and I was also able to influence managers when they were trying to sort out problems at work - colour coding machinery and sorting fittings for example."

In 2010 she won the CWU Ken McKenzie outstanding ULR award and was nominated for TUC ULR of the year in 2011. And she has just been nominated for a 2015 National Diversity Award in the positive role model category.

When Sally received news that the mail centre she had worked in since 1987 would close in 2013, she knew that she was well equipped to move on to a new career and new challenges. Again she brushed up her maths and English, completed an adult learners' support course, and after taking voluntary redundancy, trained as a lip reading teacher. She is now working as a self-employed lip reading teacher, although she continues to take an active role in her union branch.

I'm having a ball. If it wasn't for my union and for union learning I would never have achieved all the things I've done."

Unionlearn Senior Union Support Officer Lisa Stones added;

Sally is a great role model, she was able to completely change her career because of the skills she developed and the knowledge she gained through her role as a ULR. The support she received from her union was vital and the learning opportunities she accessed were made possible by the Union Learning Fund."

Unionlearn has developed a range of mid-life career review resources to help ULRs support older workers plan their future. They include a new interactive card game, Value My Skills, which help those interested in a new job, course, promotion or voluntary work to identify their transferable skills. These can be used on a one-to-one basis or in groups. There is also a new unionlearn eNote on Supporting Mid-life Development. This shows a typical ULR putting together an action plan for a learner.