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This month, Caroline tells us how her learning has helped in her working life.

"I attended ABE about 5 years ago.  I'd decided that I'd achieved what I wanted at that time and decided to leave. Now I've got a bit more time on my hands, I decided to come back again as I've always felt I had a bit of a struggle with my English. 

Coming along has given me much more confidence in things that I approach in my everyday life; my job; speaking to people; completing documents; being vocal.  Just realising that I am capable of achieving just like everybody else.  It might just take a bit longer but I'm more than capable of doing it.

I'm quite an established Childminder. I've been doing the job for about 15 years now but there's a lot of policies and procedures that we have all to put into place.  There's documents that I have to make up for each child that parents sign discussing what they're looking for in the service that I provide.  I've just made up a booklet of policies and procedures it covers at least 20 themes of the childcare that I provide.  I've completed 3 training courses on First Aid, Child Protection and Food and Hygiene.  ABE's given me the confidence to realise that I can attend these courses. 

West Lothian College came along to ABE and offered students an opportunity to go along to the college.  I realised that there was one more step to take which was doing a qualification.  I did Numeracy which I found really challenging but I was adamant I was going to work really hard.  I achieved an Intermediate 1 and 2 which I was really pleased about.  I then went on to do IT qualifications too.  I'm now ready to sign up for an Open Learning course in Communications.  I'm really looking forward to the challenge, I'm going to work really hard and hopefully achieve a qualification."

Caroline was talking to Margaret D.