When unemployed Robbie Hogg found himself seriously ill with agoraphobia, he despaired of ever being able to find the type of job that would suit his needs. However, visiting a local learning centre proved to be the answer to his dreams.
The 34-year-old Ayrshire man decided to go along to Ailsa Training Centre, a learndirect scotland branded centre recommended to him by a social worker at Ailsa Hospital.
The learning centre is attached to Ailsa Hospital and is used by patients and staff to enhance their learning and training skills. Various courses are available, including horticultural skills and computer training.
Robbie explained: “Going to the centre is a good way of gradually starting to get out and about again after spending some time in the hospital again due to my illness.”
Finding out all about computers suits Robbie - not only can he acquire valuable computer skills which will help him when he starts to look for a job once he is fully recovered, going along to the learning centre is also the ideal way to aid his recovery process.
Robbie said: “I have a computer at home but I didn’t really have much idea what to do with it. So going to the learning centre was a perfect way to discover how to use it. After a few weeks of going along to the centre, the learning centre manager suggested that I start the European Computer Driving Licence computer course. This will give me an official qualification in computers at the end of it.
“This is a great way for me to learn as I suffer from agoraphobia and certainly couldn’t face going somewhere like a college to learn. The learning centre is quiet and I can pop in whenever I want to and learn at my own pace whenever I feel up to it. I’ve already passed the word processing module and, health permitting, I can’t wait to carry on and complete the rest.”
Now Robbie’s ambition of getting some further qualifications to enable him to work from home using his computer skills doesn’t look so distant.