Whitehaven Adult Learning

Emma has worked for Adult Learning for several years, progressing to Centre Manager.

Dave has worked with Adult Learning for a couple of years.

I have worked the service for the past ten years, originally starting as a tutor and then for the past 8 years as the Community Development Worker for Copeland area. I am very passionate about my role and absolutely believe that learning and education should be accessible to all.  I think that education above all else can make a real difference to people's lives. The favourite parts of my role are meeting new learners and talking about the great courses we have on offer and developing relationships with other organisations.

I am Alan. My first experience of art, at the age of four, was to paint portraits of Captain Scott and Lord Nelson who appeared on the back of cornflake boxes. At six I was using perspective to draw the cornflake boxes themselves, helped by my father who also drew when he was young. 

My time as a teenager was spent drawing out of doors with the local farmland around Aspatria where I grew up. I have worked for many years in graphic design, following a HND course in the subject at Newcastle College of Arts and Technology. This course was the platform upon which the rest of my experience is built. 

I have benefited from years of open air painting (En plein air painting), carried out (from the saddlebags of a bicycle), around Isel Hall and the River Derwent, culminating in an article for Cumbria Life Magazine. More recently, in March 2018, I was asked to paint a view of Maryport harbour from the same spot as the artist Percy Kelly painted for the BBC programme Countryfile, whilst discussing the work of this artist at the same time. Although brief - it was the ultimate tutoring experience.

"I have worked in adult education for 6 years now, primarily in Functional / GCSE maths and employability. 

I have a Physics and Computing degree and worked in an industrial research laboratory for 10 years and a research department at a London university for further 6 years. I went on to start a technical services company providing support to oil, gas, nuclear contractors which has been trading for 25 years. My practical use of mathematics allows me to bring an enthusiasm for the subject that I find gives a helpful perspective for learners."

Hi, my name is Colin. After working in the insurance industry for 11 years I retrained as a teacher in Primary Education in 2010. After spending a year as a supply teacher across Greater Manchester, I decided to emigrate further north and move to Cumbria.  My first classroom teaching post was in a primary school in Whitehaven.  I've worked in primary, secondary and SEN schools across Cumbria as a supply teacher, cover supervisor and teaching assistant.  I later worked as a Market Intelligence Analyst at a local college and then as a Maths and English curriculum team leader and Hub Manager in a prison.  I now work as an Adult Learning Tutor, delivering Functional Skills English, GCSE English and various digital skills programmes across Allerdale and Copeland.  I enjoy working with adults from all backgrounds and try to keep my lessons informal, fun and somewhere people want to come and learn.

Dave has been taking photographs since the age of 6 and has worked commercially since 1999.  Mostly self-taught Dave has a wealth of freelance and wedding photography experience and an understanding of practical photography.

I am Donald Williamson and I teach Maths here in Copeland area.  I've worked for the service for 10 years now.  For most of my adult life I was based in London, teaching in schools in the heart of the old East End for more than 10 years, but moved back to Whitehaven 13 years ago.  What interests me?  What makes me get up in the morning?  It's knowing that what I do makes a real difference to people's lives and opens up opportunities for them to grow as individuals.  Why is that important for me?  I am only where I am today through the many individuals who have supported me over the years, giving me a helping hand up when I needed it most and encouraging me to keep on reaching for new goals in life.  Learning is a life-long process!

The tutor Guido Endlein has a degree in Architecture & Construction. He has lived and worked in England for the past 15 years as a teacher of Mathematics having completed a PGCSE and a Secondary Maths teaching qualification at level 6. Guido has taught GCSE and Functional Maths for Adults for the past 8 years achieving excellent results for his students.

Jennifer has delivered many IT courses over the last 18 years including Beginners/Basic IT, NVQ level II, ECDL and ITQ level 1 and 2. Jennifer has attained Microsoft Expert Status in the Office Suite. Her courses are a great learning experience but also enjoyable.

I am Mary Burrough and have been an Adult Learning tutor for over twenty years. I am currently delivering a range of community-based art courses in Copeland; Pottery at Florence Arts centre, Drawing and painting with Age UK and Art for Women Out West.

Hello, my name is Sara Barnes and I teach English and maths skills here in Copeland. I started as a teacher of Geography in local schools in Cumbria over 40 years ago but moved into teaching IT to adults when my children started school. Most of the questions I was asked on the IT courses were related to English and maths such as 'how do I write a letter?' or 'how do I do percentages?' So I retrained and have now taught English & maths to adults for over 15 years! I hope my work makes a difference to my learners as English and maths are so important in everything we do in life, simply being able to have a chat with someone is an English skill to be developed and can be very useful in a variety of work situations.