Scott Gallagher is 30 years old, a Unite member and is employed by Plymouth City Council as a sweeper/driver, a role he has done for the last 10 years. When we caught up with him he was driving for a team of sweepers who were keeping the pavements free from fallen leaves in an area of Plymouth called Efford. Scott has progressed through a learning pathway which was funded by the Union Learning Fund (ULF).

"What made you decide to take up learning again?"

Well, I was expelled from school for being a bit of a tear away and never got any qualifications. However, now that I have grown up a bit, I thought that I would try to improve myself and catch up with everybody else."

"What courses have you done?"

I started with English Level 1 and have just completed level 2, I have since done my Maths and a computer course."

"How did you hear about these courses?"

My ULR Sam, he was great! I would never have done it without him. He gave me all the information I needed to do the courses and kept encouraging me when things got hard."

"What do you think you will do now?"

I have started to do my level 3 management course with the council because I want to progress and become a manager, something I would never have thought possible a year ago. Completing my English and Maths has given me the confidence to have a go."

Unite ULR Sam Quigley said of Scott:

He has come a long way in just over a year. I have seen a massive change in Scott’s attitude to work and his work mates and the self-confidence is flowing from him."