learndirect helps Rob with plans for teaching career

Rob Nelson spends most of his working day out on the road and his job as a long distance lorry driver takes him all around the country.

His dream is to move into a job teaching adults - and with the help of learndirect he is well on his way to making his dream come true. "I was working through my Adult Education Teaching Certificate, when I ran into a bit of a problem "says Rob."My projects and coursework were supposed to be typed up before they were handed in and I had absolutely no experience of how to use a computer. I didn't even know how to turn one on!

 "Luckily for me there was someone in my group who worked at the Newhampton learndirect centre and they suggested that I gave learndirect a go - and Iíve not looked back since."

Keen to learn more

Rob signed up for a word processing course for beginners but was soon keen to learn more. "Learning more about computers will probably always be an ongoing thing with me. Once Iíd finished the basic course I moved onto the advanced level so Iím learning about databases as well. Now Iím connected to the Internet at home itís even easier - I can just log on and do fifteen minutes learning when I get home from work."

If all that wasnít enough, Rob also finds time to run aerobics and ëboxerciseí classes and now works as a voluntary tutor at Wolverhampton College.

He adds: "Being able to use computers has helped me with my tutoring as well. Often the learners get stuck using their computer and of course they ask me for help. Iíd look a bit daft if I had to tell them I didnít know how to help!"

Dedication leads to award

Robís hard work and his dedication to helping other students have paid off and he recently received the Student of the Year award from Wolverhampton College.

"Now that I have qualified as a lecturer, I would like to get into full time education teaching my specialist subjects - exercise to music and gym and circuit training courses for people who want to become instructors. At the same time I would also like to keep teaching basic literacy and numeracy skills," explains Rob.

"I have to say though that I couldnít have got this far without the help of learndirect and the Newhampton centre. Itís such a friendly place - all the staff there have given me so much help and guidance and it has really spurred me on."