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Network Journal 2008 Issue 3 May/June |
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ADM 2008: Pledge to skills
Delegates were keen to promote the Government-backed Skills Pledge, an initiative which aims to encourage more employers to improve the expertise of its workforce.
Lifelong learning has given many Usdaw members who left school with few or no qualifications a second chance to improve their skills, North West General No.1 branch delegate Keith Barrowcliffe told conference.
"The Skills Pledge is a commitment by employers to encourage staff to consider taking courses, particularly numeracy and literacy, up to level 2 at NVQ," he said. "There is little cost to the employer and with Government support it offers a big bonus for our members.
"It will also raise the profile of the union learning reps and with Tesco and Sainsbury's already signed up, I urge other reps to persuade their companies to do the same."
Sandy Rowlands (NW Tesco retail No.6) agreed. "The Skills Pledge is a public commitment by a company to improve the talents of the workforce," she said. "But we have to make sure something happens. It will help make the union learning rep the cornerstone of the organisation."
Mobile learning rep Tracy White (North Yorkshire Tesco) said: " We need more companies to sign up as many employees are unskilled as the statistics tell us," she said. "Courses are popular with our members."
Patricia Page (NW Marks and Spencer) urged delegates to sign up for the learning opportunities on offer. "I'm dyslexic so I found the courses daunting at first," she said. "But I got a great deal from them in terms of guidance, stimulation and training.
"We can all do so much more and there's a lot to get out of lifelong learning for our members."
Other delegates who joined in the debate were; Vishnu Patel, Brenda Bell, and Hayley Pickles.
Conference voted overwhelmingly to back the proposition which was also supported by the executive council.
www.usdaw.org.uk/lifelong_learning
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