A FORMERLY unemployed mother has won national acclaim in her new line of work.

In a glittering ceremony held at St David’s Hotel, Cardiff on Wednesday, Julie Mundy from Seren Cyf, Blaenau Ffestiniog was awarded the VQ Learner of Year (Higher) award.

The coveted annual awards, organised by the Welsh Government, National Training Federation for Wales (NTfW), ColegauCymru / CollegesWales and Qualifications Wales, celebrate those who use technical, practical and vocational qualifications to achieve success.

Julie, 52, has turned the disappointment of redundancy into a rewarding new career opportunity with Seren Cyf, which supports adults with learning disabilities.

The mother of three from Minffordd, leads a team of eight recycling furniture and textiles collected from the community around Blaenau Ffestiniog and her passion for lifelong learning has seen her complete a Higher Apprenticeship (Level 4) in Systems and Operations Management.

She was forced to find a new job more than five years ago when she was made redundant.

“It was an opportunity to find something that I really wanted to do because I never really thought about a career when I was bringing my kids up,” she said.

“The chance to recycle furniture with Seren Cyf was a big pull and I also wanted to support people with learning difficulties.”

She’s proud to be the first learner with Cambrian Training Company to complete the Level 4 Diploma in Systems and Operations Management and managed it in less than two years.

Minister for Skills and Science, Julie James congratulated the winners and all the finalists.

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