Accelerate
ACCESS TO LEARNING FOR TRADE UNION MEMBERS
The Official Newsletter for Trade Union
Learning Representatives
Accelerate is the newsletter for the AEEU learning fund project. Circulation is to AEEU learning representatives and members within the Humberside, N.Lincs and Yorkshire Regions. The newsletter
gives you factual information, progress reports and news items about what is happening locally and nationally on personal development and workplace training.
The Official Launch
| Accelerate Launch (from left to right): Davy Hall, Regional Secretary of the AEEU, Alan Johnson. MP and Ron Oldfield, Project Director of the Trade Union Studies Centre, Hull. |
On the l8th November the Accelerate project had it's official launch. The Trade Union Studies Centre at Hull College was presented with a contract worth £40,000 to fund the training of 40 AEEU shop stewards as `Learning Representatives. The presentation was made to Davy Hall, Regional Secretary of the AEEU, by Alan Johnson, MP for Hull West and Hessle. A packed room of invited union and management representatives from many of the region's leading companies were present at the hand-over which took place at the Trade Union Studies Centre, Park Street, Hull.
The guest speakers, who each gave a short address, were: Hull College Principal, Lesley Agar, Hilary Jack from Humberside TEC, Sue Burkett from the Open College Network and Linda Ammon from the Department for Employment & Education. They all spoke with great enthusiasm of the ingenuity and simplicity of the project which has enormous potential for supporting and encouraging working people to return to learning.
The Trade Union Studies Centre, Hull College successfully completed their first two programmes of study. Representatives from numerous Companies have attended and supported the project. The new Learning Representatives are now putting what they have learnt into practice.
Graham Carpenter, an AEEU union rep from Yorkshire Marine Containers in Beverley, commented, " To start with there was some scepticism from members as to what the course and the Learning Representative could do for them. The Management at work were very interested in the scheme but were concerned initially with the cost of taking part in the project, once Kelvin had explained the project in full and they realised the on-going benefits to the workforce they supported it 100%. Already the Company is reaping the benefits as employees have taken additional Health and Safety training.
Notice Boards
Official AEEU Learner Representative notice-boards have now arrived. These notice-boards will be distributed to all Learner Representatives and they will become the focal point for membership education.
Positive Feedback
All rep who have attended the Accelerate training programme have had good feedback from members, employers and training providers. Companies who have learning Centres are working closely with the Learning Representatives to ensure their facilities are fully utilised.
As a result of Accelerate, colleges and other training providers have forged partnerships with companies offering varied training and educational opportunities to our members.
