She had the experience — but not the qualification(s) to match ...

A real learner story about upskilling, confidence, and stepping into a senior office role.

Anne had worked in office environments for over 15 years. She knew how offices really worked: This story is shared with privacy in mind. Names and details may be changed.

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(Approx. 4:50 minutes) ➡️

Before: experienced, but underestimated ...

Anne had worked in office environments for over 15 years. She knew how offices really worked:

📌coordinating people
📌handling deadlines
📌dealing with issues before they became problems
📌supporting managers and teams

But when she looked at job descriptions for more senior roles, something stopped her.

The language had changed.

Roles now asked for:

📌formal qualifications
📌 supervisory or management training
📌leadership skills
📌evidence of recent learning

Anne worried that her experience — strong as it was — wouldn’t translate on paper.

📢“I knew how to do the work, but I didn’t have the qualification(s) to prove it.”

She wanted progression — possibly into an Office Manager role — but felt stuck.

The turning point: recognising her next step wasn’t going backwards ...

Anne didn’t need to start again. She didn’t need entry-level training.

What she needed was recognition, structure, and progression.

After speaking with a Training Advisor, Anne realised that QQI Level 6 courses were designed exactly for learners like her — people with experience who wanted to formalise and extend their skills.

She chose to upskill through advanced office and management-focused modules, allowing her to:

📌build on what she already knew
📌develop leadership and supervisory skills
📌gain a recognised qualification aligned with senior office roles

She wasn't trying to start from scratch ... she was building on the experience she already had.

During the course: experience meets structure ...

From the beginning, Anne noticed the difference. The coursework didn’t ignore her experience — it used it. Through tutor support and practical assignments, Anne began to:

📌reflect on her role in a more strategic way
📌develop confidence in decision-making and leadership
📌understand management responsibilities from a wider organisational perspective
📌use professional language to describe the work she had already been doing

The learning helped her see her role differently — not just as “support”, but as coordination, leadership, and management.

📢"I realised I wasn't just doing tasks, I was managing an office."

What happened next: ready for a senior role ...

As Anne progressed through her Level 6 training, her confidence grew. She updated her CV with support, clearly outlining:

📌her experience
📌her new qualification(s)
📌her supervisory and organisational responsibilities

With encouragement from her Tutor, Anne began applying for roles that reflected her true level of responsibility. For the first time, she felt comfortable using the title Office Manager — because her skills, experience, and qualifications now aligned.

📢"I wasn't asking for a step up anymore. I was ready for it."

Outcome: confidence, clarity, and progression ...

Anne didn’t change careers. She progressed within it. By combining years of experience with QQI Level 6 certification, she was able to:

📌position herself for senior office roles
📌speak confidently about her leadership skills
📌demonstrate professional development and readiness

For Anne, the qualification(s) didn’t replace her experience — it validated it.

If Anne’s story feels familiar…

If you’ve worked in an office environment for years and feel ready for more responsibility — but worry your experience isn’t translating on paper — Advanced Level 6 courses may be the next step.

Many learners use Level 6 training to:

📌move into Office Manager or Supervisory roles
📌formalise leadership experience
📌build confidence for progression or change

👉 Explore QQI Level 6 Office, Supervisory, and Management courses