Work Matters: Careers - Where do I go from here?

Name: Sue Rees

Role: Senior learning mentor (combined with other current roles of child protection officer, first aid co-ordinator, lunchtime co-ordinator, strategic management team member)

Age: 42

Qualifications: NVQ Level 3 in Learning, Development and Support Services, five-day National Learning Mentor Induction Training Programme, Specialist Teaching Assistant course, Counseling Diploma, First Aid Certificate, Safeguarding Certificate, Bereavement for Children Certificate, ongoing NVQ Level 4 in Learning, Development and Support Services

Experience:

When my children were young I took a childminding course and became a childminder. When they started school I offered to help and would read with children in the reception class several times a week. An opportunity arose for me to work with a child who was arriving in year one, who had been excluded from her previous school and had behaviour and emotional problems. I worked right the way through the school with her until she left. I was then asked to become a learning mentor in a pilot scheme in school. This sounded like an interesting job, and it is! I have been a learning mentor now for over six years and am the senior learning mentor.