Workforce Development Conference

26th January 2001 at the REEBOK Stadium, Bolton, nr. Manchester

Key notes made from the speakers at the event

Sir George Sweeney - Principal of Knowsley Community College, Member of the National Learning and Skills Council (LSC)

An amusing and interesting speech given regarding the Learning and Skills Councils and items relating to:

• Post 16 education and training initiatives, lifelong learning and raising skill levels of employees in this country.
   
• Skills For All - report 2000 on National Skills Task Force.
   
• Learning and Skills Act 2000 - brief points made on four main parts of the Learning and Skills Act:
   
  • Increase the demand for adults.
  • Encourage young people to stay in education until 19.
  • Maximising the contribution of education and training to economic performance, e.g. 'upskilling'.
  • Raising standards in education.

Sir George spoke of the National LSC and the 47 local LSCs and encouraged partnerships and that the trade unions are key partners in the partnership process. Trade unions now have key positions on national and local LSCs and are in a position to set agenda's nationally, locally, with families and employer's.

Fiona Mellett - Chamber Business Enterprise

Fiona addressed the conference and highlighted the partnership between the Small Business Service and the LSC, the co-location of advisory team. The role of the SBS on the advice and training on IiP, assessment and recognition of IiP, HR consultancy. The encouragement of employers to develop staff to train and develop competence by, promoting NVQ's, offering an advisory service on NVQ's. The development of staff, beyond occupational competences, a database to make referrals to providers, promote ILAs, Learndirect and help to establish learning centres. Promote business support services, deliver business support services. Promote workforce development and identify and act on skill shortages.

Julie Murphy - Heinz

Julie gave a brief history of Heinz, which came to the UK in 1905 when it's first factory opened in Peckham, and which now employs some 40,000 employees worldwide. The presentation referred to the factory at Kitt Green in Wigan which is the largest food processing unit in Europe, with 17,000 employees on site. Three unions on the site, these are T&GWU, AEEU and MSF. Julie made reference to a quote from the Chief Executive of Heinz, David Williams: "The need to constantly listen and learn to each other to move forward. Change is the one constant thing we can be sure of."

Key factors at Kitt Green are:

• Employee involvement
   
• Link to organisational strategy
   
• Deliver to national standards

The company has shown commitment for a demand and the partners include:

• Heinz
   
• Wigan Borough Partnership
   
• DTI Partnership Fund
   
• TUC
   
• Wigan and Leigh College

The Heinz Academy. This is a learning suite with 11 PCs, with a vast range of learning resources, it is also a Learn Direct Centre. It has open access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The courses running at the academy include:

• Language training
   
• Personal development courses
   
• College courses
   
• TUC courses
   
• Management development courses

There are 200 members of the Academy, of which 100 of these are in formal 'Tutor Led' learning. It is well used as a 'drop in' centre.

The partnership is vital to this process, and the results of this are that there is now a full time Trade Union secondee to the academy. It is under review that the next step would be to look at opening the academy and its resources to families and the local community.

Tony Bennett - Workforce Development Project Manager

Tony gave a brief outline of the concept of the ULF/Workforce Development project.

• The role of trade unions in workforce development
   
• The development of previously HR skills and knowledge
   
• The development of the core course and the additional modules
   
• The workforce development course building on from the FLAG course
   
• The progression to date:
   
  • A material writer engaged and pilot materials written
  • Surveys and Focus groups carried out
  • Courses now piloted across the north west

Liz Smith - Tuc Learning Services

Liz gave an overview of TUC Learning Services, including reference to Regional Learning Services, ILAs, LearnDirect and how TUC Learning Services assists trade unions on Union Learning Fund projects.

TUC Objectives included:

• impact on competiveness and employability
   
• the building of partnerships with employers
   
• added value to union services

To achieve this the TUC are:

• supporting learning representatives
   
• working effectively with partners
   
• maximising benefits of government policy

There has been a change in approach by government. Learning in the workplace provides opportunities for the workforce, engages employees and links to business and service development.

Good practice includes, learning together, making the most of IT, providing advice and guidance, from the learning rep and professional sources, the monitoring of progression and the embedding of learning in the organisation.

The impact on the organisation includes improvement in employee loyalty, increased adaptability and flexibility, raised skills and confidence, improved efficiency and productivity.

Of the national number of learning reps currently 25% are in the north west, carrying out a wide range of jobs. Nationally 70% felt they had impact, 178,000 people had been given advice and 96,000 had engaged in learning. The government had shown commitment to time off for learning reps.

Back to Workforce Development Project home