New ULRs, Ready To Make A Difference

A new cohort of CWU learning reps have just completed their course at Quorn Grange. They have returned to branches across the country, ready and eager to help members get the learning they need.

Access to education is one of the fundamental inequalities in our society. The educational opportunities available to the rich have never been available to the working class and a century after universal suffrage, our leaders still mostly come from a couple of elite public schools and universities. Meanwhile, some 20% of adults still experience difficulty with either literacy or numeracy and many more lack the IT skills to fully participate in society. 94% of companies in the UK acknowledge that they have skills gaps and only 37% are confident they’re investing enough to meet skills needs, with workers whose jobs are at most risk seeing the least investment in their training.

But as Covid proved, notions of “low skilled workers,” are riddled with class inequality. We all have spikey skills profiles: things we can do well and things we could learn to do better. Working class people get stigmatised as “low skilled” but you rarely see such terms applied to upper class skills gaps. They just “get someone in” to do what they can’t – and make us use the tradesmen’s entrance to boot!

It is this inequality that Union Learning Reps are trained to address. They offer a trusted workmate to help members find the learning they need, be it for professional qualifications, life-skills or to develop new hobbies and interests. Whatever it is that people want to learn, it often has wider applications and can boost their confidence and skills, to improve both their own lives and those of their families.

On the course, new ULRs were encouraged to take inspiration from the words of William Morris, “I claim whatever knowledge there is in the world, historical or scientific; and also to have my share of skill, either in the industrial handicrafts or in the fine arts: I claim to be taught, if I can be taught, more than one craft to exercise for the benefit of the community.” This encourages us all to treat learning as a fundamental right that we should all be able to take up throughout our lives and reminds us that knowledge is a common good, to be used for the benefit of the whole of society.

New ULRs left the course, enthused and eager to get to work, “It was a great course, genuinely one of most enjoyable I have done at Quorn,” said Peter Hobby of Bournemouth & Dorset Amal, “Thanks to everyone for lots of laughs, great company and loads of shared ideas and solutions.”

“The ULR course has been an exceptional experience,” said Peter Knox, of Glasgow & District Amal. “It was well-structured, insightful, and incredibly valuable. It’s equipping me with practical tools and fresh perspectives that I can apply immediately in my professional journey. Terry the Tutor was absolutely outstanding; clear, engaging, and incredibly supportive throughout the course. He made complex topics easy to understand and created a learning environment that was both welcoming and motivating.”

Jack Davies, of North East Branch, agrees, “Attending the ULR course has been an incredibly valuable experience. It provided a great opportunity to network with others and build relationships that will support my ongoing development. The shared experiences and insights have given me a clearer understanding of the ULR role and boosted my confidence in stepping into it.”

This was echoed by Faisal Ahmed and Jas Pabla, both from South Midlands Postal, “The ULR course was very interesting and informative, it was made easy to understand and kept me engaged by the tutor Terry. The course gave me the opportunity to learn new skills and meet new people to share experiences with. I would recommend this course to others who would be interested in becoming a learning rep.” … “This week’s ULR course has been really valuable. It’s been a great chance to build confidence, share experiences, and learn from each other. Really proud to be part of a team that’s so committed to supporting learning in the workplace. Looking forward to the next sessions and putting what we’ve learned into action!”

If you are would like to contact your branch ULR contact your branch office for their details.

If you would like to become a ULR, please contact your branch office to register your interest.