Adult learning plays a big role in our communities and ULRs are the pivot in changing the way their colleagues feel and think about how to approach general learning.

The ULRs are the oxygen that feeds the motivation and determination to their colleagues to do the best they can in their apprenticeships and placements to ensure positive results in the workplace. The latter statement applies to both positive results for the business and for individuals.

I speak to ULRs daily, and I hear stories of how Community Union’s ULRs have spurred on colleagues who may have had negative experiences of learning to go forth and educate themselves on new skills. Those from neuro-diverse backgrounds are more likely to experience education in a negative light, but the ULRs of the trade union movement has, and will always advocate for colleagues of all background to learn and trade new skills with one another.

ULRs play a key role in advocating for their businesses to invest in their workforce, conversing with their line-managers and colleagues to passionately argue for upskilling to help not only their members, but helping businesses retained talented workers. In 2023’s fast-paced working world where technology becomes more visible, it is an uphill view that ULRs are looking down from and there is a narrative that needs to be changed.

The Union Learning Representative role, I believe is a great role and has a lot to offer the trade union movement in general. They are activists and creators of opportunity in the workplace. The role isn’t just stemmed to courses only, but campaigns, increasing the awareness of their union’s learning offer, and being a vocal actor for learning in their branch. Lifelong learning happens every day without us knowing and ULRs have a place to make this a daily, workplace conversation.

Outside the workplace, I have heard ULRs across the trade union movement influence fellow trade unionists talking about how learning in the workplace has impacted their personal relationships on a positive level. Lifelong learning has a positive impact on the wellbeing of colleagues across the working world, making them feel valued and worthy members of the workplace and British society.

To conclude, Lifelong Learning will always have a place and will never go away, but ULRs are the ones that make it happen.