For this week’s Staff Spotlight, I sat down with Fiona Morris, one of East Lothian Work’s Adult Literacy and Numeracy tutors, to ask her a couple of questions about her job role.

What is your job role and what does it involve?
I am an Adult Literacy and Numeracy Tutor. I run groups and one-to-one sessions mainly involving improving number skills, but also some reading and writing.

How did you get into this line of work?
I started as a Volunteer Tutor about 10 years ago, then, after a couple of years, I was offered a job as a Tutor and I’m still here!

What is your favourite part about your job?
There are so many people that are scared of numbers and maths because they have found it very difficult in the past. It is very rewarding to see them understand how numbers work, start to enjoy learning, and use what they have learned in their daily life.

What is the most difficult part about your job?
The hardest part of the job is convincing some learners to believe in themselves. Once they realise that, if they had work, then they would be able to achieve their goal.

What is a typical day in the working life like for you?
I have groups all over the county so can be in several different places in one day. Each day is different, I can be at a group in Dunbar in the morning and another in Musselburgh in the afternoon. Sometimes I have one-to-one sessions in between too and fit in writing emails and other office-based work when I have a spare moment.

What type of people do you work with on a daily basis?
I work with adults from all walks of life and all different ages. The youngest I have worked with was 16, and the oldest has been around 60. Some people want to improve their skills to get into work or to help them within their current job, others just want to be able to help their children with their homework. Some may have learning difficulties or different health issues; we see it all.

Why is your service important?
The service is important as it not only gives people the opportunity to learn and gain qualifications, but also helps to improve confidence and belief in themselves. It shows people that if they want to achieve something then the help and guidance can always be found.

If you’d like to find out more about the services available from East Lothian Works, get in touch:

Tel: 01620 827 262
Email: elworks@eastlothian.gov.uk

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