Lifelong learning has become the buzz phrase of the 21st century. Women's Editor Christen Pears talks to an army major whose life has been transformed by education.

WORKING in a factory, Daisy Mundy's job was simple: take zips from the conveyor belt, zip them up and bundle them into batches of ten, a regimented task she performed eight hours a day.

It wasn't really the best use of the two A levels she left school with. Neither was the lorry driving or the window dressing.

To try to better herself, she decided to study A level biology with a view to training as a physiotherapist. "I remember cutting mice up on the kitchen table," says the 40-year-old. "But when I went to take the examination they wouldn't accept me because I didn't have any formal laboratory experience. As a result, my interview for physiotherapy training at Guy's Hospital was unsuccessful."

The hospital officials did do her one favour. They suggested she join the British Army, which she did, and 14 years later she has not only seen the world and reached the rank of major, she also has a first class honours degree to her credit and is the acting Officer Commanding 3 Army Education Centre, the learning nerve centre for the whole of Catterick Garrison. "I am certainly a big fan of lifelong learning," she says. "I see how it changes people's lives."

Major Mundy is a shining example of this. She was working in the Royal Signals before joining the army's Educational Services Branch. "When you are commissioned into the branch, it is on the understanding that you get a degree," she explains. "So I began a two year part-time degree at Darlington College at Catterick whilst also working in the Gurkha Language Wing. This meant doing one night a week and a Wednesday afternoon, and it was also geared around the workplace. I also managed to tie it in with some research which benefited the Army as my dissertation was abuot Gurkhas studying English. They have ten weeks to learn English but if they are out on operations, they have no access to courses. So I looked at distance learning and now the Army is looking at online language packages."

Education is vital to the Ghurkhas. Catterick takes just 230 recruits a year from Nepal out of 25,000 applicants. "Gurkhas are fantastic to work with," says Major Mundy. "They are really motivated and eager to learn."

The Army Education Centre is there for the whole garrison and, in conjunction with Darlington College, helps all ranks and abilities. Some soldiers need help with basic skills, such as literacy and numeracy. Others need training, particularly on computers, which will help them cope with the sophisticated demands of the modern day army. And when it's time to return to civvy street, the centre helps get them ready for resettlement.

Major Mundy may have just secured a first class honours degree but she hasn't finished with education yet. She is hoping to do an NVQ Level 5 in management and then a masters degree in training support in languages.

"I love research and looking at the way people learn," she says. "Having a career for life is a bit old hat nowadays. You have to have change to be stimulated all the way through.

"I'm a big fan of lifelong learning. My husband, for instance, left school at 14 without a qualification to his name. He had a string of manual jobs until he began studying again at the age of 49. Now he is doing an archaeology degree at Durham University and from being a lorry driver is looking at doing museum or research work. It does change people's lives. It has certainly changed ours."