Happy New Year

Well, that's 2008 almost at an end. What a year it's been - Adult Learners Week, Courses running at the Red Star Centre, recruiting new RULRs, and our new Learning Centre at Ramsgate Depot too!

Personally I can't wait to see what 2009 brings, and hope that we can all work together on making this year a huge success!

Happy New Year everyone!

Southeastern Skills Pledge

Research shows that across the UK workforce around one employee in every five has problems with basic literacy and numeracy. That's bad news for employees as it means they lack the skills to secure promotion or benefit from training. It's bad news for employers because it means their staff are not able to do their best for the business. And above all is bad news for passengers as the lack of basic skills means employees may not be delivering the service they expect.

That's why, in partnership with the RMT, ASLEF and the TSSA, Southeastern has taken a major step towards improving literacy and numeracy and raising skill and qualification levels among our 3,900 strong workforce.

The Skills Pledge is an opportunity for businesses or organisations to show publicly the importance they place on investing in the skills of their people. It is a commitment to support all our employees to develop their basic skills, including literacy and numeracy, and work towards relevant, valuable qualifications to at least Level 2 (equivalent to five good GCSEs). The purpose is to ensure that all employees are skilled, competent and able to make a full contribution to the success of our company.

Last Friday 5 December 2008, Andy Bindon, HR director officially launched Southeastern's commitment to the Skills Pledge at The Red Star Learning Centre in Chatham on Friday morning. He paid tribute to the commitment and hard work the trades unions have put into both employee development and the Skills Pledge.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Netting new skills

Learning a new skill

Find out why learning new skills can help safeguard your career

More than half of workers were worried about their job prospects because of the economic downturn, according to new research today.

A survey of 2,000 adults by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) showed that one in two would now try to improve their career prospects through training.

Most of those polled admitted there was room for improvement in their skill levels, including IT, literacy and problem solving.

LSC chairman Chris Banks said: "It's true that learning new skills and retraining can lead to a refreshing career change, but it's also important to realise that employees with transferable skills are often seen as the biggest assets to employers.

"A small investment in learning new skills will make you better prepared to tackle any eventuality, particularly in a tough economy."

Copied from www.gm.tv

5th Forum

So glad so many people turned up the photo's will be be put up today anyone wishing to have a copy please get in touch. Also the Conference at the TUC Congress house was a good day as well but sadly no food ( I wonder who ate it all) anyway for a change we had a welsh writer giving a talk and some intresting and inspiring point were shared

Another great turnout by all the Union Learning Reps and those who are interested.
A lot to take forward for next year,may we continue to prosper under our current banner.

john Collins

Forum number 5

Hi all, very enjoyable time today, meeting more of the learner reps from around Southeastern, there out there for you, why not speak to your local learner rep and see what they can do for you, or just call the Red Star Learning Centre.

Caroline

RULR Forum #5

The 5th RULR Forum is in progress at Chatham, with presentations about Adult Learners Week, Lifelong Steering Committee and the launch of Southeastern signed up to the Skills Pledge.

Please feel free to post your comments and upload any photographs!

Thanks to all those who attended, and don't forget the 3rd SERTUC Conference at Congress House, London on Monday 8th December 2008 (see www.unionlearn.org for details)

Christmas time

Hi all, it is near that time of year again and everyone is getting ready for Christmas, Chris the computer tutor has informed everyone that turns up for the course next week has to wear a Christmas has or tinsel, so I have requested sausage rolls and mince pies, to help with the atmosphere for Christmas, sorry no decorations.

Caroline