Unions across the country have been getting behind high quality apprenticeship schemes and offering help and support to those enrolled as apprentices.

At Her Majesty's Prison (HMP) Dartmoor, the South West Prison Officers Association (POA) Regional Learning Centre based there has made its IT facilities and support services available to all Prison Service Managers who have commenced their Management Apprenticeship via ‘Civil Service Learning’.

There are POA Learning Centres in six establishments across the entire South West area, and the facilities being offered by the POA will be a major boon to those managers getting to grips with their two year apprenticeship.

Civil Service Learning has partnered with the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) to offer managers an accredited route through the Management Essentials portfolio. For managers who want to sharpen their professional edge and enhance their effectiveness, the learning available offers access to qualifications, courses, mentoring and unrivalled support resources. Prison Service staff can also achieve the ultimate management accolade, Chartered Manager status.

The qualification which is blended in nature has a heavy reliance on self directed computer based training - which is where POA Learning facilities come to the fore.

Andy Harding who manages the Learning Centre at HMP Dartmoor on a part time basis stated:

The IT facilities that POA Learning possess throughout the South West will permit learners to manage their own learning during the working week as their own time suits. It is envisaged that each learner will enter into a compact with their mentor/line manager who will permit them ‘time to train’ during the core day. 

One colleague has already secured one day per month to undertake study time at our Dartmoor POA Learning Centre. Similarly, cohorts of learners from the same establishment will be able to meet on a mutually convenient day to discuss their progress and to work collaboratively on their projects. It’s a real partnership arrangement."

The Governor of HMP Dartmoor Bridie Oakes-Richards has been very supportive of POA Learning and the union learning agenda. As regards to POA Learning providing facilities for Prison Service apprentice managers throughout the South West Area, She said:

This is yet another positive example of both the employer and unions working together collaboratively for the mutual benefits of staff learning and continued professional development."

Nigel Costley, South West Regional Secretary for the TUC added:

This story is a great example of unions and employers working together to support skills and apprenticeships across the South West."

Andy attended the regional induction day for the CMI accredited learning on the 6th January 2016 at HMP Guys Marsh in Dorset - not only to discuss with the 28 learners how POA Learning can assist them but also because Andy has signed up to the apprenticeship himself as a requirement of his Prison Service role. The modules available are many and varied and cover a diverse range of topics designed to enhance managerial ability and acumen:

• A managers impact
• Building an effective team
• Team performance and getting results
• Developing others
• Communication and influence
• Well being of others
• Managing today’s challenges

This partnership between the union and management across the prison service shows just one way that unions are supporting learning across the country, and in particular helping apprentices with their training at work.