Union learning reps are the key

An independent report, looking at learners' experiences of Wales Union Learning Fund (WULF) over the past year has highlighted the key role that ULRs play in the workplace, as well as highlighting the impact union led learning has had on delivering several key adult education priorities for Wales.

 A massive 95% of respondents stated that the learning opportunity received through their union was useful and relevant to them and their work.

Some of the key findings were:

WULF learners are more likely to progress onto further learning and encourage others to do the same – 84% had said WULF had encouraged them to progress further at work and around 2 in every 3 had recommended their course to a colleague.

WULF support improves employability and workplace confidence– 73% of respondents to the survey said it improved their work performance and 82% said their union opportunity increased their self-confidence

Whilst the period covered by the survey only included a very brief part of the early 2020 lockdown, the report highlights that there were already signs that WULF was increasing support for the health and wellbeing of workers in Wales

Data for this period collected by the Wales TUC also supports these trends. 89% of projects reported specifically developing workplace learning aimed at supporting hard to reach and non-traditional learners in the workplace and WULF projects supported nearly 4000 workers onto further learning beyond their initial course last year.

Support from a Union Learning Rep is vital – WULF learner survey shows that 98% of union learners find ULR support key to their success

The report showed that participants were least likely to say that the training was useful or relevant if line managers had determined that the type of training that would be useful. By contrast, instances where the union had determined the type of training were perceived as being more useful and more relevant.

We know, as the report shows, that a worker voice is key to driving the workplace skills agenda forward. That is why we have organised a free online event to explore what unions are doing around this issue and the essential role ULR’s play in this area.