Check out learning - Usdaw’s campaign
to make learning accesible and affordable for retail members - won
the TUC’s campaign of the year award.
It’s great to be recognised - but what does it really mean for
our members? We got together a group of learners from Tesco’s Old
Swan store in Liverpool store (Joy Wagg, Helen Scahill, Stephanie
Burns, Emily Tyrer), their Union Learning Rep (Gail Rogan) and
local Usdaw Mobile Union Learning Representative (Jo Cahill), to
talk about their experience and find out why Checkout Learning
works.
“All the learning in the Old Swan
store was kicked off by the Checkout Learning campaign” says Jo.
“It works because it gives people a chance to say what they want
and it shows how much interest there is in learning. We had a big
response at Old Swan and the manager immediately recognised its
benefits and we negotiated the use of the in-store traning room to
deliver the learning. Without the campaign the learning agenda
could have gone un-noticed in the store and without the demand for
learning recognised on the day, we would not have been able to work
together with the employer.”
“The other main benefit” adds Jo “is
that it helps us to recruit our Usdaw ULRs such as Gail.”
“I started learning first and then
became a ULR” explains Gail. “I decided to take the role as ULR
because at the grand old age of 50 I needed to be doing something
else with my life. I have raised a family and only work part time.
I was a bit nervous of the role at first but soon got into it.
Helping people just like me gave me a great feeling of warmth. It
can be hard work sometimes trying to keep everything going but the
end results are very rewarding.”
Each member of the group has been
very active and between them they have clocked up over 400 hours of
learning in Computing, English, Sign Language and Maths and a whole
raft of qualifications in English and Maths.
Mutual support has been a key factor
in keeping them motivated. Some members of the group have suffered
from ill health but as a group they have helped each other catch up
with the work that they have missed and then gone on to complete
their exams. Some have worked through their shift so that they can
finish work an hour early, others have got members of staff to
collect their course work and completed it at home if not able to
attend the class.
“I am very comfortable with studying
with fellow colleagues as it is reassuring and very supporting. If
I had to go to college I would be nervous working with new people”
says Helen, “but when your work colleagues are your class mates as
well you settle a lot easier.” Emily nods “I enjoy learning with
the girls I work with as we are all in the same boat, you don’t
feel embarrassed and we have a laugh.”
“The group is well known by other
colleagues in the store” adds Jo “and in the past they have
recruited other members of staff to enrol on courses. Colleagues
see the progress that they have made and recognise the success that
they have had which enthuses them to do the same.”
Making learning enjoyable is also a
major part of the success story at Old Swan. “I find the courses
very useful and fun” says Helen, “I know most people don’t think of
English and Maths as fun but I enjoy doing these classes as I have
supportive colleague and tutors.” Joy nods in agreement. “Working
along side my colleagues in the work place has made it a more
enjoyable experience.”
Each group member has their own
motivation - the only common factor is that learning helps them
achieve their own reward. Helen is “determined to pass my level 2
English and Maths to progress and study Forensic Science” and
Stephanie wants “to further my education and go onto University”.
“I find that I can help my son more with his homework especially
his maths homework” says Emily whereas Gail the Union Rep takes
part in the classes “so I know what I am talking about when
enrolling new members.”
Everybody agrees about the
importance of learning in the workplace and is grateful to Tesco
for providing the learning space. “I think that it is a really good
idea that I can learn in the store as it helps me to work around my
hours” says Stephanie. “And it’s so useful within our workplace as
it is very easy to get to and I don’t have to travel far as I only
live 10 minutes away” adds Helen. Joy sums it up well. “It’s just
so convenient.”
Jo points out the importance of
partnership with a provider as the final element in the success of
Checkout Learning. “The college and local learning providers have
been excellent in their approach to deliver workplace learning both
in the store and on the mobile learning bus we used for the IT
course. The College have tried as hard as possible to provide the
same tutors for all of the courses that have been delivered over an
18 month period. The tutor and learners have built an excellent,
tutor-learner relationship with the tutors finding the group a joy
to teach and being very proud of their achievement upon passing
their exams”.
Let the learners have the last word.
Joy echoes everyone’s thoughts when she says “I would like to take
this opportunity to thank Usdaw and Tesco for allowing the course
to take place and for me to attend.” Emily just says “to anybody
thinking of doing a course I would say “GO FOR IT."