This week we have been celebrating Lifelong Learning Week brought to you by the Festival of Learning, and the team behind Work Wiltshire thought it would be a great opportunity to share some of their lifelong learning journeys with you.

Meet Annette, an Employment and Skills Officer who has been at Wiltshire Council since early 2017. At 18 having not quite achieved the A-Level results she needed to study Journalism in Liverpool she decided that she didn’t want to do re-sits and left education for the world of work.

She told us that she has had a number of jobs over the subsequent years, some more glamorous than others, but all have involved ongoing learning and personal development.

One of Annette’s first jobs was an Au-pair in Germany where she attended hochschule, the German equivalent for institutions of higher education. She attended in the evening twice a week to learn German as the family she worked for spoke mainly in their first language. Annette admits to letting this skill slide a little over the years but last year with the help of Wiltshire Libraries excellent range of Language CD’s, she did some refresher training prior to going on holiday and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Annette went on to do various other jobs where she gained a forklift truck licence, undertook RSA typing and attended many other in house training courses from Asbestos training to project management; quite a mix but all relevant to the roles she held at those times.

Finally at the age of 30 Annette found a job she loved in Housing and began a part-time Higher National Certificate in Housing at Bristol College. During her 12 years working in the sector, she also gained NVQs in Facilitation and Management which aided her promotion to Community Development Manager.

Annette’s love of learning remains with her at Wiltshire Council and she regards her continuing professional development (CPD) as an important aspect of her role, having recently gained an Information and Guidance qualification.

Annette told us that although much of her learning has been for employment purposes she recently undertook a history course with Exeter University and UK Learns and has just signed up for an Understanding Fashion course to complete during the current restrictions!