An outstanding union learning representative
(ULR) supported by his union and an employer committed to promoting
learning has proved a winning combination at DHL Argos in Acton
Gate, Stafford. In the past year alone a remarkable 300 workers
have been inspired to sign up to the learning opportunities on
offer in the two learning centres on the site.
Terry Sandford is general Unite union lead ULR
at the site and has been incredibly successful at getting people
back to learning. According to Stoke-on-Trent College contract
manager, Sue Rigby, this is not only because of his commitment to
learning but also because “he’s taken the learning journey
himself.” Unite Learning Manager, Keith Cockcroft, describes Terry
as “ambassador, confidant, adviser, supporter and coach” to the
several hundred Unite members on site.
After leaving school at 15 with few
qualifications, he returned to learning 40 years later and has
since achieved qualifications in numeracy, literacy, ICT awareness
and negotiator training. He has a Certificate in Preparing to Teach
in the Lifelong Learning Sector and the IT skills he has gained
enable him to maintain a database of learning activity.
A lorry driver with 14 years’ experience of
working at DHL Argos, he knows all about the barriers to learning
in the industry. But working in partnership through the joint
learning agreement, he and DHL Argos General Manager, Heath Twist,
have been able break down some of these barriers and create
realistic and flexible learning opportunities for drivers,
warehouse operatives and other workers at the site.
“Initially it started brilliantly because it
was something new. But then we began to hit problems related to
stigma – people saying “They’ll think I’m a bit of a dunce if
I do this course” for example,” says Terry. “We got around that
problem by encouraging some of the older, more experienced and
respected workers in the warehouse – the people you go to if you’ve
got a problem – to get involved. They became ambassadors for
learning and things really took off.”
After finding that drivers were not accessing
learning opportunities in the main learning centre because of the
huge size of the site, Keith and Unite Learning Organiser Michelle
Abbots put in a successful bid for a grant from the regional
development agency, Advantage West Midlands. This enabled the
company to set up a second learning centre directly above the
transport depot.
Between them the two centres are now equipped
with 25 laptops with internet access and smart boards. The second
centre provides very accessible learning opportunities for drivers
as they no longer have to travel right across to the other side of
the site to access courses.
The union and employer have also worked hard
to address a major barrier for drivers – fitting learning
around their schedules. As Sue explains: “They are driving through
the M6 corridor and can easily be delayed by a couple of hours. If
you’ve been on the road for several hours, the last thing you want
to do when you get back is sit down on a training course. So they
need lots of motivation and encouragement as well as
flexibility.”
Unite has negotiated full-time off for Terry
to be able to develop and promote learning opportunities. Five
ULR’s also have time off for training and to carry out their role
in assessing learning needs and encouraging the workforce back to
learning. For example, they have been busy promoting learning
during the recent Adult Learners’ Week by running drop in advice
sessions in the canteen for workers to find out more about the
learning centres.
And DHL also gives paid time off to learners
on a give-an-hour, take-an-hour basis and tries to organise
schedules so that drivers have shorter routes on the days their
courses are running.
Learning opportunities are on offer at various
times throughout the week. To coincide with the shift change at
2pm, Stoke-on-Trent College tutors come in to teach courses in
literacy and numeracy twice a week from 1pm to 3pm. There is
also a later drop-in session for drivers who may have missed a
Wednesday course running from 3pm to 5pm on a Thursday. And those
working later shifts and in smaller “out bases” are not forgotten,
with a taught courses running once a week from 9pm to 11pm
and at another course taking place at a contact centre site in
Derby.
Michelle helped to set up the learning centre
and learning initiatives and she continues to support Terry and
negotiate with the training provider. And Heath has also played an
important role in establishing a learning culture at DHL Argos.
According to Sue: “He is very committed to learning and very
proactive. It does take commitment from an employer to do what DHL
has done in releasing people for learning and planning their
schedules so that they can access the opportunities on offer.”
The learning offer has initially focused on
literacy, numeracy and IT qualifications up to a Level 2, but NVQ
Level 2 courses for warehouse operatives are in the pipeline and
Terry wants to set up further progression opportunities.
Sue describes Terry as an “unsung hero” but
his efforts have not gone unnoticed. He was presented with the
National Open College Network Outstanding Achievement Award at the
Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster, and his
achievements were also recognised at a regional celebration at the
West Midlands Safari Park during Adult Learners Week.
The award, presented by the National Institute
of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE), which campaigns for and
celebrates the achievements of adult learners, recognises his
dedication and commitment to learning which began when he trained
to become a ULR.
“This has given me the confidence to help
others at our learning centre, chair our steering group meetings
and go out and speak to colleagues about learning in the workplace.
The learning centre is now a big part of my life and the
satisfaction that it brings in helping others is unsurpassed in
anything that I have taken part in before,” he says.
