A  Prison Officer at HMP Dartmoor is thanking the learning opportunities provided by a Union Learning Centre for his recent promotion.

Graham Ford serves at the Devon prison, and has been an avid supporter of the courses offered by Prison Officers Association (POA) Learning ever since the unionlearn funded POA Learning Centre initially opened in April 2010.

Graham has studied a whole host of courses varying from IT courses on Office, Excel and the ECDL (European Computer Driving License) to language tasters in Spanish and German. He has made great use of the Tribal Education offer, studying for Level 2 qualifications in Mental Health Awareness, Safe Handling of Medicines and Team Leading Knowledge. Graham has also completed a Diploma in Outdoor & Physical education Studies.

This Prison Officer has defiantly caught the learning bug, and has recently been successful in obtaining a promotion to Supervising Officer, where he states his POA Learning initiated learning will be put to best effect both in dealing with staff and offenders in his day to day duties.

Such is Graham’s enthusiasm for Union Learning generally, and POA Learning specifically, that In January 2015 he commences the ULR stage one qualification as provided by TUC Education. Graham says that he will get a great deal of satisfaction as a POA ULR in advising and supporting his HMP Dartmoor colleagues towards their educational and skills requirements.

Graham about POA:

POA Learning has reignited my enthusiasm for learning.  The support and guidance offered by both POA Learning staff at HMP Dartmoor and Tribal has been excellent.  Becoming a ULR for POA Learning is my way of giving something back to the Union Learning movement as well as supporting my colleagues along their learning path."

HMP Dartmoor POA Learning Centre Manager, Andy Harding stated that:

Graham is a shining example of a colleague who has taken advantage of what POA Learning has to offer employees over many years. He has turned his learning into both advancement in the workplace as well as honing a desire to take on more of a role with POA Learning as a ULR.”