Merseyrail

With over 30 year’s service in the rail industry, Carol Anne Leighton has a lot of experience in customer services and dealing with the travelling public.

Currently employed by Mersyrail as a retail assistant working shifts at Spital Station on the Wirral Line, Carol recognised that she needed to improve her ICT skills in order to keep up with the technological changes at work and in life. A member of the Transport Salaried Staff Association, (TSSA), Carol approached her local Merseyrail Union Learning Rep to see what opportunities were available.

Her ulr, Janet Burleigh, arranged for a visit to the Merseylearn centre. Janet accompanied Carol and two other new learners to the centre to help them overcome any fears about starting a new learning journey.

“Support has been fantastic!”

“Jan met us at work and took us the Merseylearn centre and she supported us through the first stages of learning and provided a friendly face, someone we already knew.”

After a chat with the ICT tutor Norman and some initial assessments, Carol enrolled on the ECDL qualification and discovered that using a blended approach of work books and on-line learning via Learndirect, combined with flexible access to learning and assessment provided by Merseylearn was the best way for het to achieve her goal.

“I know that I can contact Merseylearn through email or phone, or even call into one of the centres. Jan is also on hand to help out if we get stuck on any part of the course. I enjoy the way I can learn at a time to suit me”

Although Carol is unable to access the Learndirect course on her work’s computer due to current licensing restrictions, she is able to continue her learning using worksheets and the BBC ‘bytesize’ resources.

 “Norman called into the station one night when I was on shift and we looked at the course and how to use the BBC stuff. I was able to practice my new email skills by emailing my friends who are also on the course”