Functional skills are essential tools for navigating not only in the workplace but daily life too. These skills are not just about passing exams but about opening doors to new opportunities and expanding individual’s knowledge and confidence. Read on as we delve into Karen Tompkins inspiring story who overcame personal challenges and transformed her future through functional skill training…
What challenges/feelings did you face before gaining your Functional Skills qualification, regarding functional skills?
Not having the relevant Maths qualification needed to support my apprenticeship made me feel a little inadequate and concerned that people would judge me, thinking that I was not capable of everyday maths tasks. I was concerned that my age would hold me back with learning and that the time I have outside work would not allow me to give the qualification my full attention.
How have the skills you gained through completing your Functional Skills qualification helped in your current job role?
Passing the functional skills in maths has really boosted my confidence at work and made me feel like anything is achievable with a little motivation and practice.
Can you describe a specific situation at work where the Functional Skills you learned made a noticeable difference?
I feel like the I have more confidence in my calculations, and I am not second guessing myself as much as I was before I passed the Functional Skills.
How has completing your Functional Skills qualification influenced your career development or opened up new opportunities for you?
This qualification supports my apprenticeship to ensure that it is full and relevant and ensures that I no longer need to resit any maths exams in the future.
What advice would you give to someone considering completing their Functional Skills qualification, based on your own experience?
I feel very proud of achieving this and it really has boosted my confidence, not just in the maths that I use everyday at work but in myself generally. It is great that I can continue to grow as a mature student, as I felt my age may hold me back with learning. The training team were very supportive and gave me resources which were very helpful. My mentor said that she could help me with anything that I was struggling with, and it was nice to have the backing when I needed it. Do a little bit of practice as often as you can manage, believe in yourself and your ability to succeed.
Since completing your Functional Skills, have you been able to take on new responsibilities or leadership roles?
Not at this present time but there may be scope for this in the future and I will have everything in place if the opportunity arises.
How did achieving your functional skills make you feel?
I did not believe that I could pass this on my first attempt as my confidence in my ability was very low. My mentor asked me to join her in a Teams meeting so that she could share the news face to face (I was so grateful that I did not receive the news via email or teams). I was not sure what to expect when she asked to join the meeting but I was absolutely delighted when she told me that I had passed!
I couldn’t wait to share the news with my line manager, team, family and friends. None of them were surprised that I had passed but they all shared how proud and pleased they were. Finally, I feel like I can tick this off my list of things that I need to achieve.
Karen’s story demonstrates the power of functional skill education. Functional skills training equips individuals with the tools they need to succeed in their careers and beyond. If you’re considering improving your functional skills, take inspiration from Karen’s story. Click here to complete your course with Aspire today!
