Unions North - January 2012

Skills for Life......back to basicsMaking Maths and English foradults the top learning priority

Celebrationof LearningLots of fun and activities to celebrateLearning Week in the workplace

Health andWellbeingThe start of 2012 is the ideal timeto get fitter and healthier

QualityApprenticeshipsOur region is continuing to makea valuable contribution

The Magazine of the Northern TUC

unionsnorth

Issue : 28

January 2012

Issue 28

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Since 2003 there has been a significant

improvement in Level 2 and above

literacy achievement, but no

improvement in lower level literacy and

the nation’s numeracy skills have even

shown a small decline. So, there is still

a good deal of work to do in this area.

Some key actions outlined in the

Government’s further education and

skills system reform plan to tackle the

Maths and English challenge include:

Re-establish the terms ‘English’ and

‘Maths’ for adults.

Prioritise young adults who lack

English and Maths skills, and those

adults not in employment.

Promote a national Maths campaign.

Embed effective and timely screening

by Jobcentre Plus advisers of the

English and Maths needs of relevant

benefit claimants, mandating them

to an initial interview with a provider

where a lack of these skills is

preventing them moving into work.

Confirm that, from the 2012/13

academic year, all Apprenticeship

providers will be required to support

Apprentices in progressing towards

the achievement of Level 2 English

and Maths. From October 2012 all

Apprentices starting English and

Maths courses will be taking

Functional Skills or GCSE

qualifications.

Despite considerable effortsover the last 10 years toimprove the basic skills ofadults, a new national surveyshows that 24% of adults(8.1 million people) lackfunctional numeracy skillsand 15% (5.1 million people)lack functional literacy skills.

Going back to ‘basics’ in 2012Skills for Life: English and maths for adults

Issue 28

Unions are effective in promoting and

supporting English and Maths in the

workplace and beyond, as it is viewed

as a rights and social justice issue,

often relating to under-represented

groups and unlocked potential within

individuals and groups in society, which

impacts deeply on life opportunities.

The role of Union Learning Reps is

pivotal as it allows unions to turn theory

into practice, enabling them to make a

real difference in raising the level of

numeracy in the workplace. ULRs

understand the issues, as well as the

barriers, opportunities and bottom-line

benefits to the take up of English and

Maths for both workers and employers.

Case studies demonstrate that union

learners are being motivated to gain

numeracy qualifications for a range of

reasons: helping children/grandchildren,

gaining entry qualifications for a change

of career or job, managing personal

finances - and most importantly, the

cross cutting motivation of all of the

personal factors is encouragement from

ULRs telling learners “You can do it!”

The role of the ULR is a key one. Ofsted

judged that ‘the role of ULR is an

outstanding peer role model’ which is

cited by literacy and numeracy learners

as the single biggest factor in their

engagement with learning and persisting

through to achieve their goals.

From January 2012 unionlearn in the

northern region will have six handheld

mobile assessment tablets for ULRs to

use in the workplace. This tool enables

you to carry out initial assessments of

literacy and numeracy on an easy to

use touch screen computer tablet and

get an immediate result displayed on

the screen.

As long as you have mobile network

access the results can be uploaded to

a central database, collated, stored and

viewed. It’s quicker than paper testing,

easier to use than a PC and the results

are stored electronically making record

keeping and reporting much easier.

If you are interested in finding out more

please contact Beth Farhat, unionlearn

Union Development Co-ordinator,

Northern Region at: [email protected]

or on 0191 2323175.

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areness

What can unions and ULRsdo to support Maths in theworkplace?

Moving skills for life into2012: Mobile AssessmentTablets

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All rail employees and their families

were welcome to come along and

participate in a whole range of fun and

innovative activities all in the name of

learning something new.

Amongst the taster sessions of Spanish,

British Sign Language and Basic

Computers and ‘Fun Maths and English’

throughout the day, the main – and

very fitting attraction was a ‘Driver

Simulator’, which gave all attendees

and any budding train drivers the

opportunity to have a go at being in

charge of their very own East Coast

mainline service.

There was also a topical session from

technological whizz Pasha Tanriverdi

who showed people exactly what their

mobile phones, laptops and tablets are

capable of and offered help and advice

on how to get the most from their

iPhone, Blackberry, Smart Phone, Laptop

or PC!

Tony Paul, ASLEF lead Union Learning

Rep and organiser of the event said:

“We feel all staff should be given the

opportunity to achieve further education

through work and that an open, family

funday is the way to encourage it, plus

giving all staff a chance to drive a train

at 125mph on the simulator.”

Geoffrey Smith, East Coast Operations

Manager Newcastle said: “We are really

pleased to be working with the unions

to offer rail staff and their families some

fantastic learning opportunities through

our open day at Central Station as part

of the Celebration of Learning Week.

It is really important for East Coast to

engage with our staff and provide

different activities for them to learn new

skills and experiences, and what better

way to do it than by bringing the whole

family together to learn in a relaxed

and fun environment.”

Kevin Rowan, Northern TUC Regional

Secretary said: “Events such as this

one are a very practical and accessible

way to engage people. East Coast Trains

and the rail unions are another excellent

example of working in partnership for

the benefit of members, colleagues,

staff and the wider community and

offering a very positive experience of

learning - which will hopefully see all

those who took advantage of the

learning ‘tasters’ want to go on to a

main course!”

To mark unionlearn’sCelebration of LearningWeek, East Coast Trains, inpartnership with ASLEF, TSSAand the RMT unions held anopen day on Friday 28thOctober at their base inCentral Station in Newcastle.

East Coast Trains and unions on trackfor an excellent Celebration of Learning

Issue 28

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Over 200 members of the contact

centre’s staff attended the numerous

stalls and events we had organised.

Most, if not all, of the day’s activities

all linked in well with our theme of

‘future matters’; for individuals,

workplaces and of course, the planet.

United Utilities gave out water savers

in the form of washers (to restrict

some of the water flow but not the

power) for electric showers, and the

toilet flush packs were snapped up!

Eon also put our attendees through

their paces with activities which enforced

how much energy (demonstrated by

man power) it takes to simply light one

light bulb - not many could keep a full

row glowing!

The NHS stand had some fantastic

information to promote better health,

and their stress balls were a huge hit

with our staff!

Also, linking in very nicely to better

health were the very active sessions

using Kettle Bells and Zumba, which

were a light hearted way of re-

introducing some of us to exercise! 35

staff got involved and there was plenty

of shimmying and heart rates pulsing.

We hope that most staff will continue

with these activities outside of work.

One of the most unique events of the

day was sign language. This is something

we don’t all come across in day to day

life, but the feedback from 32 learners

was that it was a very interesting activity

and something that can maybe be taken

forward on a more in depth course.

We were very fortunate and appreciative

to receive some funding via the

Celebration of Learning fund, to help

support the day, and promote our

campaign for digital inclusion. Becoming

a digital champion is a very worthwhile

cause to enable people in Britain to

have the confidence to get online and

take advantage of all the benefits this

has on society. On Learning At Work

Day an impressive 7 digital champions

were recruited.

We were also successful in signing up

around 25 people to enrol on a skills

for life course, and a further 20 people

to embark on further learning in the

form of an NVQ. There were also

numerous people interested in Open

University courses.

We used funding from Unionlearn to

hire the infamous Smoothie Bike, which

certainly proved a highlight of the day.

The Smoothie Bike is a static bike which

requires some serious pedal power to

charge an electric blender filled with

delicious smoothie ingredients

mounted on the front. The faster

you pedal, the smoother your

smoothie! It brought some tasty

fun to the event as well as

highlighting healthier living. A few

were worn out by the end of the day,

but it was great for morale and the

buzz around it was causing as much

electricity as the EON bus - if not more.

Overall the day was a great success.

There was a great sense of morale,

and the undercurrent of ‘future matters’

was widely represented in a variety of

ways.

This year’s Learning At WorkDay, held on 3 November atHMRC Lillyhall in Workingtonwas possibly our best yet!

The future matters at HMRC LillyhallLearning At Work Day

Issue 28

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Alcohol misuse affects everyone. A third

of North Easterners drink at or above

the Government’s recommended limits

on a daily or almost daily basis and a

fifth binge drink on a weekly basis.

The recommended daily limits are 2-3

units, or a large glass of wine, for a

woman and 3-4 units, or two pints of

regular strength beer or lager, for a

man.

The impact on health

Alcohol misuse is a major cause of

illness, injury and death, linked to more

than 60 medical conditions. It’s the

second biggest cause of cancer in over

35 year olds after smoking.

Drinking at or above the recommended

alcohol limits, on a daily or almost daily

basis, can have some serious long term

health implications. These include mouth

and breast cancer, heart disease and

stroke.

Scientific evidence reveals that:

men who regularly drink more than

two pints of strong lager a day could

be four times more likely to have

high blood pressure

women who regularly drink two large

glasses of wine or more a day could

be three times more likely to suffer

a stroke

men and women who exceed these

limits could be up to five times more

likely to develop cancers of the

mouth and throat

It’s not only the damage to long term

health that drinkers need to be

concerned about. Drinking too much or

too often can also have an immediate

impact and can lead to:

anxiety

sexual difficulties such as impotence

impaired judgment leading to

accidents and injuries

slowed breathing and heartbeat

loss of consciousness

suffocation through choking on your

own vomit (aspiration)

potentially fatal poisoning

A bit of balance to your New Year’s resolutioncould significantly improve your workplace

As we head into 2012, theNew Year is an idealopportunity to look at beinghealthier – and this includesreducing how much alcoholwe drink.

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The wider impact

There is a much bigger picture. Drinking

too much, too often has a huge impact

on every part of society - affecting

children and young people, families,

the community, frontline services and

the economy.

The consequences are hard-hitting and

far reaching. Studies show that:

The North East has the highest rate

of alcohol-related hospital admissions

in England

50% of all violent crime is alcohol-

related

2.6 million children in the UK are

living with a parent who drinks at

hazardous levels

More than nine in ten North

Easterners associate alcohol

consumption with anti-social behaviour,

crime and violence and domestic abuse

In the North East of England alcohol

misuse is costing up to £1.29 billion a

year – that’s over £400 for every man,

woman and child

Getting the measure of alcohol

Balance, the North East Alcohol Office,

is urging people to use the New Year

as an opportunity to think about how

much they are drinking and to begin

to reduce their alcohol consumption.

Director Colin Shevills explains: “People

are often surprised at how much they

are drinking but it’s important to stick

to the recommended guidelines. Drinking

too much, too often is having an impact

across the North East. It is affecting our

health, communities, the economy and

our workplaces. It’s important to consider

all aspects of alcohol misuse.

“It’s also important that we continue to

educate and inform the workforce about

the potential issues which can arise

from drinking alcohol.

“Whether it is drinking at work, going

to work with a hangover or regular

heavy drinking outside working hours,

it all has an effect in some way and we

need to reduce the impact it is having

across the North East.”

Balance is encouraging anyone who is

thinking of cutting down to visit:

www.nhs.co.uk and click on alcohol

where they will be able to take an

online assessment to find out if they

are drinking too much and take

advantage of a unit calculator and

tracker – to help them.

Colin ShevillsDirector of Balance

Make a plan: Before you start

drinking, set yourself a limit on

how much you’re going to drink.

Set yourself a budget: Only take

a fixed amount of money to

spend on alcohol.

On your side: If you let your

friends and family know you’re

cutting down and that it’s

important to you, you

may get their support

Take it a day at a time: Try and

cut back a little each day – then

every day you do is a success.

Make it a smaller one: You can

still enjoy a drink but go for

smaller sizes. Try bottled beer

or a small glass of wine.

Have a lower-strength drink:

Cut down the alcohol by

swapping strong beers or wines

for ones with a lower strength

(%ABV)

Stay hydrated: Drink a pint of

water before you start drinking

and avoid using alcohol to

quench your thirst.

Take a break: Have the odd day

here and there each week when

you don’t have a drink.

Hints and tips for

anyone looking to

cut down on alcohol

in the New Year

Issue 28

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The 2011 Proskills Awards (Proskills is

the Sector Skills Council for Process

and Manufacturing Sector) were held

at Alton Towers on 3 November, both

celebrating the achievements of people

working in the process and

manufacturing sector and also

highlighting its wider commercial

importance. Proskills received hundreds

of entries from a wide range of

employers, apprentices and Union

Learning Representatives.

As a Union Learning Representative at

paper company James Cropper in Kendal,

Cumbria, Julia Harrison is the workforce’s

voice on skills issues. Her performance

in the role led to her being nominated

for Union Learning Representative of

the Year – and going on to win the very

competitive title. “Julia has been an

elected learning representative for seven

years and in this role she has promoted

lifelong learning opportunities to the

500-strong workforce. She has

conducted learning and skills analysis,

and also identified skills needs and

areas that impact on the business,”

said David Nicholson, HR Manager at

James Cropper.

Julia has taken on responsibility, as a

Union Learning Representative, for

accessing course provision and

organising learning events and courses.

She has also worked closely with

external agencies and her commitment

to the role has made a real difference.

“Julia’s determination and passion have

ensured that despite many challenges

and some setbacks, the impact of ULRs

in the company has been extremely

positive,” said David. “Without her, I’m

sure that many of these achievements

would not have happened.”

This is Julia’s story in her own words:

Since becoming a Union Learning

Representative, I have never really had

time to reflect on what I have actually

achieved in my workplace, until now. It

fills me with a sense of pride and

satisfaction knowing that others are

benefitting from the work I am doing.

Unite ULR at James Cropperin Kendal, Julia Harrison,wins Proskills ULR of theYear Award.

Cumbria Union Learning Rep Julia Harrisonis a real pro when it comes to skills

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I get a great buzz from encouraging

and helping to assist individuals to

reach their goals and potential, whether

it’s updating or acquiring new skills by

offering information, support and

facilities.

Working in my everyday IT environment,

with technology constantly changing,

each day brings new challenges in itself,

but what keeps me motivated is helping

others. Before I became a ULR, our

“Learning Resource Centre” had lain

virtually unused for the previous three

years. I provided the kick start needed,

and now we go from strength to

strength, with both the Company and

individuals alike benefitting.

My ULR training took place at Quorn

near Leicester in 2005. I thoroughly

enjoyed the whole experience, the format

and teaching style. I picked up so much,

and couldn’t wait to get back into the

workplace to put into practice what I’d

learnt.

Back in the workplace, I decided the

best way forward was with a learner

survey. I drafted up a learner survey

with covering letter and sent it out to

every employee in the workforce. All

the data was collated into a spreadsheet,

which identified all sorts of learning

avenues. One to one interviews were

then followed up with those who had

returned their form, to discuss their

learning needs further. The information

gained from this exercise was then fed

back to a Learning Steering Group.

The Learning Steering Group is made

up of ULRs, union representatives,

regional skills co-ordinators and

management. The group meet at least

quarterly, sometimes more often,

depending what’s on the agenda.

I normally set out the agenda,

sometimes chair the meeting, and always

take the minutes.

The next step was to sit down with

management and discuss the current

layout of the learning centre, as it was

no longer adequate. I went away to

plan and cost up a refurbishment

programme. The company offered £5000

towards the project.

The centre is now fully equipped with

8 computers, a library, and a central

plan area for deskwork. I also managed

to secure a learning budget from the

company. This started out at £2000

back in 2005, but now we have managed

to secure £7,500, reviewed yearly.

Below are a few of the training courses

run in the centre:

Skills for Life

NVQ Level 1 & 2 in Literacy and

Numeracy

ECDL (European Computer Driving

License)

ITQ (Level 1 & 2)

MS Access (Basic)

MS Project (Basic)

MS Excel (Basic/Intermediate)

Health & Safety (Part 1&2)

NEBOSH (Diploma)

Digital Photography

Spanish (Basic/Intermediate)

Over the years I have built up very good

working relationships with the unions,

regional skills co-ordinators, forged

partnerships with local schools and

colleges, and worked with other adult

education centres in the area.

With help from the unions we put in

place a Learning Agreement which forms

the basis of our organisation’s learning

agenda, including rights to access

training and learning.

I try to keep in regular contact with

other ULRs and union reps in the

workplace and other ULRs in other

companies, as it makes you more aware

of what’s happening not just in your

own workplace but in others too. You

can also bounce ideas off one another,

and in some cases we can actually work

together to deliver training courses. I

recently gave a presentation to Heinz

in Kendal who are looking to open their

own learning centre.

I am always trying to think of new ideas

to help the way we promote learning

in the workplace. A big celebration here

is Learning at Work Day with activities

for everyone, and past years have proved

very successful.

We decided we wanted to do something

completely different this year, and have

some fun at the same time, as this

encourages people to take part. This

year was no exception, with the

introduction of Zumba (which proved

very popular with the ladies), and XBox

Kinect activities (which entertained the

men)!

I could talk about this subject forever

as it’s something I am very passionate

about, but would like to state that I

couldn’t have done it without the help

and support from the Union, the

Company, and the individuals who have

signed up to the courses on offer - it

just makes it all worthwhile.

Julia Harrison:

Proskills ULR of the Year 2011

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With the start of the newyear comes another roundof our Bitesize Briefings,covering January to March.As always there should besomething to suit everyone,so get registered for your‘taste’ of the new menu!

BITESIZEBRIEFINGSJan-Mar 2012

Wednesday 25th January:Coping with and avoidingstress

The TUC’s 2010 survey of safety reps

found stress is by far the most common

health and safety problem at work.

Nearly two thirds (62 per cent) of reps

say that stress is in the top five problems

faced by the workers they represent.

More than a quarter of reps (27 per

cent) pick out stress as the hazard at

work that most concerns them. This

practical workshop provides tips and

advice on developing personal strategies

to cope with tough times.

Learn how to successfully improve your

wellbeing and create your own action

plan to prevent stress and cope more

effectively at work and at home.

Participants will also be given their very

own Personal Stress Monitor for use in

the workplace to help identify and

manage stress levels, for themselves,

members and colleagues.

Monday 6th February:Update on EqualitiesMiddlesbrough

Monday 5th March:Update on EqualitiesNewcastle

This session will provide an overview

of the 2010 Equality Act from the

perspective of trade unions. It will

include:

Practical workshop exercises using

real world workplace scenarios

New updates to the law following

changes subsequently made by the

Coalition Government

Awareness of employers’ obligations

in this area

This important session will provide reps

with the latest information to inform

and represent their members and ensure

their rights under the Equality Act are

not overlooked.

Wednesday 15th February:ULRs and RedundancySupport

This briefing will look at priorities for

ULRs during any redundancy situation;

helping ULRs understand the roles of

support services and how they can

support those at risk, preparing them

for all scenarios around identifying skills

needs for members and themselves.

The briefing will provide information

and material from useful contacts and

initiatives to support them in their role

in providing workplace workshops to

look at re-skilling, jobs markets and

the challenges ULRs, members and

colleagues could potentially face during

a redundancy situation.

As part of the briefing the money advice

service will brief participants on their

role and how they can provide ‘one to

ones’ in the workplace on managing

budgets, dealing with debt and

additional redundancy support.

Wednesday 29th February:Macmillan Cancer Supportin the Workplace

Each year over 100,000 people of

working age are diagnosed with cancer.

From its early beginnings, founded in

1911 by Douglas Macmillan, Macmillan

Cancer Support has grown to become

the largest cancer care and support

charity in the UK.

This briefing will help reps gain an

understanding of the support services

Macmillan can provide for both cancer

sufferers and those around them – in

and out of the workplace.

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Jan-Mar 2011 Timetable

Coping with andavoiding stress

Wednesday 25 January Northern TUCNewcastle

1.00pm to 4.00pm Melanie [email protected]

Briefing Date Venue Time Registration Contact

Update on theEqualities Act

Monday 6 February MIMAMiddlesbrough

1.00pm to 4.00pm Charlotte [email protected]

ULRs and RedundancySupport

Wednesday 15 February Northern TUCNewcastle

1.00pm to 4.00pm Helen [email protected]

Macmillan CancerSupport in the Workplace

Wednesday 29 February Northern TUCNewcastle

1.00pm to 4.00pm Melanie [email protected]

Update on theEqualities Act

Monday 5 March Northern TUCNewcastle

1.00pm to 4.00pm Charlotte [email protected]

Alcohol Awareness Friday 16 March Northern TUCNewcastle

1.00pm to 4.00pm Helen [email protected]

Maths MessengerTraining

Friday 30 March Northern TUCNewcastle

1.00pm to 4.00pm Anne [email protected]

BITESIZEBRIEFINGS

Please check the timetable above for details of preferred sessions. For general enquiries or to registervia telephone, please call 0191 232 3175 and ask for the designated Bitesize Briefing contact.

Friday 16th March:Alcohol Awareness

Alcohol misuse is having a devastating

impact on our region. We have the

highest rate of alcohol related hospital

admissions in England and half of all

violent crime is linked to alcohol.

Did you know?

60+ is the number of medical

conditions linked to alcohol

50% of all violent crime is alcohol

related

1.3bn is around the annual cost of

alcohol misuse in the region

1 in 5 of North East drinkers ‘binge’

drink on a regular basis

49% of men in the North East are

drinking too much

1/3 of women in the North East are

drinking too much

This session is all about educating reps

to share the dangers and implications

of excessive drinking with members and

colleagues as part of the broader health

and wellbeing framework to make

workplaces – and workers healthier.

Friday 30th March:Maths Messenger Training

This half day training session, in

conjunction with Niace and the Maths

4 Us initiative will help participants to

feel positively about maths. It will

provide you with the tools and

confidence to encourage others to take

up maths learning too.

The taster sessions will introduce a

range of engaging maths activities,

including tips and quizzes and provide

ULRs with an enjoyable, stimulating

mathematical experience as well as the

ability to take both the resources and

what you have learned back to the

workplace.

It’s a very practical and grounded half

day but fun too!

Issue 28

14

They manage, maintain and improve

homes and estates in South Tyneside

and manage over 18,000 homes and

are a not-for-profit company.

The organisation has over 700

employees who are committed to

providing an excellent service to all

their customers.

Even before its current incarnation as

South Tyneside Homes the organisation

had a strong history of investing in

Apprenticeships. Over 23 years ago

they took on Gary Kirsop as a Bricklaying

Apprentice; he is now Head of Property

Services, and a staunch supporter of

Apprenticeships and the opportunities

they offer.

“We have a very successful team here,

and that is down to everyone working

together in a cohesive partnership for

the same goals – to make South

Tyneside Homes the best employer and

service provider. Our investment in

Apprenticeships goes beyond the

financial as this is where the future

potential of the business lies” says Gary

Kirsop, Head of Property Services.

South Tyneside Homes currently have

24 Apprentices across the whole gamut

of construction trades including: joiners,

electricians, plumbers, plasterers,

painters and decorators and gas fitters.

They are also widening their

Apprenticeship scope from the more

traditional areas and have added

Administration and Quality Surveying

to the fold, too.

All Apprentices are given three or four

year Apprenticeship contracts (depending

on the discipline) and are paid in line

with union negotiated Red/Green Book

South Tyneside Homes isthe arms-lengthmanagement organisation(ALMO) set up by SouthTyneside Council in 2005.

South Tyneside Homes:A history of investing in Apprenticeships

terms and conditions, which rise

incrementally as their Apprenticeship

progresses. Retention after they have

qualified is taken on a case by case

basis, and is primarily dictated by

company workload and economics.

Many who are kept on, like Elizabeth

Ahmed 23, have already achieved an

Advanced Apprenticeship NVQ Level 3

but will be supported into Higher

Education and encouraged to work their

way up. All six of the management

team at STH and most of the Team

Leaders are graduate Apprentices.

“The vast number of Apprentice success

stories demonstrates the ultimate goal

that apprenticeships should never be

seen as cheap labour for organisations,

but rather integral to their long-term

business plans; providing a dedicated

and skilled workforce for the future.

“We feel that in South Tyneside Homes

the continued strong industrial relations

between the unions and employer on

the apprenticeship framework – and

beyond - has been crucial to its

continued success and should be seen

as a fantastic model for other employers

to adapt in their organisations.”

Joint statement from Unison, GMB,

UCATT, Unite at South Tyneside Homes

High quality training is paramount at

STH and all new apprentices are given

a full year’s programme of work, as well

as a comprehensive induction. Despite

being based in South Tyneside, the

apprentices attend the College with the

best results in their particular discipline,

and are given either day or block release

depending on the structure of the course.

For their ‘on-the-job’ training in the

workplace, every Apprentice has a

‘Buddy’ - a qualified tradesman/Team

Leader who mentors them, as well as

a Workplace Assessor who conducts 10-

weekly reviews. The Head of Property

Services also operates an open door

policy and there are always union reps

on-hand in all guises to offer help,

support and advice. Last year they even

began a ‘Parents Evening’ to join up all

of the support mechanisms.

Due to the increasing popularity of

Apprenticeships, STH received over 600

applications for only eight positions in

their last intake, but Gary says this is

‘quality over quantity’ ensuring the

Apprentices who are employed receive

the best and most comprehensive

support. Although competition is fierce,

accessibility and getting the right person

for the job is still priority, so as well as

literacy and numeracy, the organisation

have recently introduced spatial

awareness testing during the recruitment

process to allow people to demonstrate

different skills.

Anyone needing support with skills for

life or other issues is helped

wholeheartedly - usually through the

union-led learning project and ULRs.

There is no shortage of female applicants

either and the number is increasing

every year; at the moment two of the

Electrician Apprentices are female and

Elizabeth won the national APSE Award

for Female Technical Apprenticeship in

2010.

The Apprentices themselves are the best

advert for how well the programme

works at South Tyneside Homes and

they actively participate in Open Days,

Careers Fairs and School visits - with a

designated Young Ambassador who

goes in to talk to children as young as

12 about the benefits of on the job

learning - with pay, qualifications and

prospects.

15

I have completelyloved every minute ofmy Apprenticeship. Once you have a tradethe sky’s the limit!

Elizabeth Ahmed:Advanced Apprentice Electrician.

Issue 28

16

The award was presented by unionlearn

Regional Manager and Northern TUC

Regional Secretary, Kevin Rowan on

Friday 14 October at the Town Hall in

Eston.

The Local Authority passed the stringent

assessment process with flying colours;

the opportunities and all-round support

they offer through partnership work

with providers, external agencies like

Connexions and the trade unions,

earning them the Quality Award. Unions

and the employer are also going one

step further and looking at an

Apprenticeship Agreement which would

cement Apprentices’ positions at Redcar

and Cleveland Borough Council.

In the last two years Redcar & Cleveland

Borough Council have taken on 105

Apprentices, over 20 different areas of

business, including; Community

Development, IT, Environmental Services,

Countryside, Childcare and Vehicle

Maintenance, with the largest intake

attributed to various departments within

Business Administration. The

Apprenticeships range from one year

to three years depending on the

discipline and every Apprentice has a

bespoke contract to match their training

period.

The award was presented to Paul Healy,

Young Peoples Employment Programme

Coordinator, in front of the borough’s

Mayor, the Council’s Chief Executive

Officer, Amanda Skelton and

Apprenticeship programme partners

including council employees, training

providers, trade unions, some of the

Apprentices themselves and local MP,

Tom Blenkinsop.

Councillor George Dunning, Leader of

the Council said: “We are very Apprentice

focussed here and everyone works

together to create a family atmosphere

for new and existing recruits, making

them feel nurtured and supported into

achieving their potential. All Apprentices

Tom Blenkinsop, MP forMiddlesbrough South andEast Cleveland, attended abespoke presentation of theunionlearn Quality Award inrecognition of Redcar &Cleveland Borough Council’sexemplary work on thedelivery and co-ordinationof their ApprenticeshipProgramme.

MP sees how ‘Quality’ Apprenticeships benefityoung people at Redcar and Cleveland BC

17

are accepted as an employee and not

just an Apprentice. Good young talent

is an invaluable resource for us as an

employer and as a borough. Everyone

involved is extremely proud to be part

of the process.”

Eve Cole, Branch Secretary of UNISON

and Secretary of the Joint Trades Union

Committee for Redcar & Cleveland said:

“We’re extremely proud to be a part of

the burgeoning Apprenticeship

programme at RCBC and are always

looking for ways to increase our

contribution to its support and

development and that of the Apprentices

themselves. The unions recognise the

importance of giving people who do

not choose the academic route to work

the opportunity to get hands-on

experience whilst getting further

education and the apprentice scheme

is an excellent way of doing this.”

Tom Blenkinsop, MP for Middlesbrough

South and East Cleveland said: “This

apprenticeship programme is a

testament to the work of Redcar and

Cleveland Borough Council as a

progressive local authority, and a

testament too, to the ability, initiative

and talent of the council's apprentices

and to the dedicated workers who help

to train them in their new skills.

“A proper apprenticeship is an essential

building block in a young person’s

career development and will allow for

the continuing transmission of skills

needed in a large local authority where

the delivery of proper services to the

public has to be the council's keystone.

Those services cannot be properly

delivered without properly trained,

skilled staff and apprenticeship schemes

such as these on display today show

how these skills can be nurtured.

“This event also underlines the key role

of Trade Unions as core partners in

these programmes and their commitment

to promoting the skills agenda. Trade

Union members deliver these services,

aware of how important they are for

the wider community, as much as for

the apprentices themselves.”

Kevin Rowan, Northern TUC Regional

Secretary said: “It is really heartening

to see continued and increasing

commitment to Apprenticeships in our

region by employers who care about

the future of their business and their

employees. Investing in good quality

Apprenticeships goes beyond financial

outlay; it requires time, effort and

partnership by all involved. Redcar and

Cleveland Borough Council have proven

that they are more than willing to go

the extra mile - and reap the benefits

in return with the cultivation of top-

notch home-grown talent.”

Issue 28

18

Both Bridget Phillipson, MP for Houghton

and Sunderland South and Julie Elliott,

MP for Sunderland Central attended to

show their support for the development

of the Learning Styles workplace project

and its ongoing contribution to learning

and skills, including playing a role in

the Council winning £10 million worth

of Microsoft vouchers for the city and

helping to contribute to over 4870

Council workers and members of the

community accessing IT learning

opportunities.

Learning Styles has been running at the

Council for almost 3 years and is a joint

trade union (Unison, GMB, UCATT, Unite)

and employer partnership initiative

which aims to encourage and support

members and colleagues across the

Council’s 16000 staff to get back into

learning – whether brushing up existing

skills or acquiring new ones. The project

is led by Union Learning Co-ordinator,

Howard Fawcett and a team of 36

dedicated Union Learning Reps, with a

further 6 having recently completed

their training.

The project promotes and facilitates

opportunities in areas including literacy

and numeracy, IT, bespoke NVQs and

HE courses, as well as more informal

learning such as Aromatherapy, INBIZ

Workshops, Next Step Careers Guidance,

Self Care for You/Health and Wellbeing

- to name but a few.

Howard Fawcett, Union Learning Co-

ordinator for the Learning Styles project

and ULR of the year 2010 said: “The

Learning Styles project has been a joy

to work on from the beginning and its

continued expansion and integration

into the workplace demonstrates the

need – and demand for it.

“The addition of a further learning centre

was the next logical step. The ability

to deliver more learning to more people

is the ideal scenario. I hope everyone

who can take advantage does. The

partnership between the unions and

the Council is second to none and the

mutual hard work has paid dividends,

as can be evidenced with the authority’s

Sunderland Way of Working strategy.”

Bridget Phillipson, MP for Houghton

and Sunderland South said: “I was

delighted to be asked to open the new

Learning Centre at Sunderland City

Council. This impressive partnership

between unions and the City Council

has been very successful in achieving

and promoting learning opportunities

which will benefit individuals,

organisations and the wider community

by encouraging adults of all levels of

ability to consider returning to learning.

In today’s current climate opportunities

such as these are really important. I am

therefore happy to give my wholehearted

endorsement to their learning agenda.”

Julie Elliott, MP for Sunderland Central

said: “I was pleased to be invited to

the ribbon-cutting event to mark the

opening of the new Learning Styles

Learning Centre. The Centre is a shining

example of what can be achieved when

employers and unions work together.

Employees enrolling on the range of

courses on offer have an opportunity

to increase their confidence and enhance

their skills. Everyone benefits from

employees who have access to lifelong

learning and training.”

Councillor Paul Watson, Leader of

Sunderland Council said: “It is essential

as part of the Sunderland Way of

Working that staff have the opportunity

to learn new skills, so that we can

continue to deliver the best possible

service to the people of Sunderland.

“I am sure that the new centre will be

a fantastic tool to help us achieve this.”

To mark the opening of thenew Learning Styles LearningCentre at Sunderland CityCouncil, two of the city’s MPsperformed the official‘ribbon-cutting’ at aceremony on Friday 2ndSeptember at SunderlandCivic Centre.

Sunderland MPs open new union-ledLearning Centre at Sunderland City Council

19

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Copyright in this publication is held by the TUC unless otherwise stated. For further copies of this item contact Northern TUC on 0191 232 3175 or via [email protected]. This text may also be made available, on request, in accessible formats such as braille, audio tape and large print, at no extra cost.

Northern TUC, 5th Floor, Commercial Union House39 Pilgrim Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 6QE

Telephone 0191 232 3175or email [email protected]

20

Issue 28

Kevin RowanNorthern TUC Regional [email protected]

Beth Farhat Union [email protected]

Ian WestRegional Education [email protected]

Linda HughesSenior Union Support [email protected]

Dave StorrieSenior Union Support [email protected]

Ken GylesUnion Support [email protected]

Joe McGuiganUnion Support [email protected]

Graeme RushtonUnion Support Officer [email protected]

Susanne NicholMarketing and [email protected]

Mike TanseyHigher Level Skills Project [email protected]

Julie RobinsonHigher Level Skills Project [email protected]

Tom RossHealth and Wellbeing Project [email protected]

Alex RodgersUSO non-union [email protected]

Melanie LowdenSecretary/Office [email protected] Anne CairnsUnionlearn Project [email protected]

For information on events or issuesplease contact the Northern TUC

21 Social Media Training DayCentre for Life, Newcastle

January 2012 Calendar

25 Bitesize Briefing - Coping with StressNorthern TUC Office Newcastle

25 ELSF - Greening the WorkplaceCastle Inn, Bassenthwaite

06 Bitesize Briefing - Equalities UpdateMIMA, Middlesbrough

February 2012 Calendar

15 Bitesize Briefing - Redundancy SupportNorthern TUC Office Newcastle

06 Apprenticeship Week6-12 February

16 Cumbria ForumCastle Inn, Bassenthwaite

29 Bitesize Briefing - Macmillan SupportNorthern TUC Office Newcastle

March 2012 Calendar

05 Bitesize Briefing - Equalities UpdateNorthern TUC Office Newcastle

14 ELSF - Higher Level SkillsStadium of Light, Sunderland

12 Health and Safety ForumCentre for Life, Newcsatle

16 Bitesize Briefing - Alcohol AwarenessNorthern TUC Office Newcastle

30 Bitesize Briefing - Maths MessengerNorthern TUC Office Newcastle

February 2012 Calendar

Best wishes for a happy andsuccessful year to all of our readers

Unions North - January 2012

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