A Slovakian journalist working in the parks department of Luton Borough Council, a deaf student and a nurse were among the extraordinary achievers celebrated at an awards evening in town.
More than 400 students received IT certificates from Luton Learning Centre, in Upper George Street, and town mayor Syd Knight congratulated those who attended a recent achievers’ evening.
Among awards recipients were Ivan Ganor, who was a journalist in his home country of Slovakia. He joined Luton Learning Centre to improve his IT skills.
He said: “The flexible study hours suit me as they fit around my current job working in the parks department of Luton Borough Council.
“Here I meet many people who tell me their stories and I would like to write about them in the future, particularly about the difficulties older people face in finding employment.” His aim is to work again in media.
> Linda Sarkar, the first deaf student at Luton Learning Centre to study at Level 3 in IT skills, took her course after being made redundant after 16 years as a data entry clerk.
She said: “You not only learn new skills here and gain qualifications, but also grow in confidence.”
> Thabitha Motale arrived in Luton as a nurse in 2004 and realised she would need to learn IT skills if she was to progress her career.
With qualifications in IT skills she went on to become unit manager and is now deputy home manager.
She said: “I feel I have gone from ‘nowhere’ to ‘somewhere’ and could not have done that without the patience and helpfulness of the staff here. Before I walked through the doors I knew nothing about computers.“
Learning Centres are in Bedford, Luton and Rushden. More than 500 people are studying courses including literacy and numeracy, touch typing, accounting, and short courses including web design.
Luton Learning Centre is moving from Upper George Street to Sceptre House, in Castle Street. The official opening will be on January 22 with Mayor of Luton Syd Knight as the guest of honour.