Learningunlimited

A survey of union members and higher education opportunities

The Open University has funded this report. It waswritten and disseminated through the TUC’sunionlearn High Road project. The project is part of acommunity programme called Equal – a EuropeanSocial Fund initiative which tests and promotes newmeans of combating all forms of discrimination andinequality in the labour market. The GB EqualSupport Unit is managed by ECOTEC.

The Open University believes in openingopportunities for everyone to learn. That’s why itwelcomes people of all ages and backgrounds. Everyyear the OU helps more than 200,000 studentsdevelop their career prospects, pursue personalambitions, take on challenges, discover newinterests and achieve highly regarded qualifications.

www.openuniversity.co.uk/unionlearn

Unionlearn is the TUC organisation that supportsunion-led strategies for learning and skills. Ithelps unions to open up learning and skillsopportunities for their members and to developand deliver trade union education for theirrepresentatives and officers.

www.unionlearn.org.uk

© Grant Lynch

This survey of union members provides

robust evidence that there is a large

untapped thirst for higher education.

However, many of these potential

learners identify barriers – mainly time

and money – to taking up courses. That

is why the Open University discount offer

to union members is proving a big help.

The 18,000 trained union learning

representatives can do much to support

learners. But more employers need to

help with fees and study costs.

In particular, learners want employers to

give them paid time off to learn. The

evidence presented in this report will

strengthen the TUC’s powerful case for

unions in recognised workplaces to have

the statutory right to negotiate paid time

off to study.

Foreword

The Open University and unionlearn

share a common mission to support the

career development and lifelong learning

of employees throughout the UK. We are

working together to ensure access is

available to learning opportunities for

those who have benefited least from

education and training in the past.

This survey was commissioned to enable

us to identify the barriers to study and

assess the need for learning at higher

levels of education through the union

route. We found that not only is there a

demand for learning but also a high

recognition of its importance.

Working together we will be able to offer

flexible progression routes through

collaborative learning initiatives,

supporting the Leitch agenda for a high

skill economy.

Liz SmithDirector, unionlearn

Professor David VincentOpen University Pro-Vice Chancellor(Strategy Planning and External Affairs)

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Unionlearn director Liz Smith signing theOpen University memorandum of

understanding with Professor David Vincent.

© Jess Hurd/reportdigital.co.uk

Introduction

An important objective of unionlearn is to widenparticipation by increasing the number of unionlearners in higher levels of education. Taking uphigher education opportunities makes goodsense to union members.

According to the Leitch Review of Skills in 2006, higher education:

• increases employability – almost nine in ten of the working population whohave degree equivalent qualifications and above (Levels 4/5) are employed,compared to eight in ten with a Level 3 qualification (A Levels/NVQequivalents)

• increases income – the wage returns for those with a degree compared tothose with A Levels are on average about 25 per cent higher

• increases progression – two in five graduate employees participated injob-related training in the past three months compared with about one ineight of those without any qualifications.

As many as 27 per cent of the adult population now have a degree and above.But this will have to increase substantially as the economy’s demand for higherskills increases up to 2020. Managers, senior officials and professional/technicaloccupations will represent the largest total demand for new workers andreplacement of existing jobs.

“The UK is 13th out of the 30 OECDcountries in terms of those over 25who have attained high qualifications,still lagging behind key comparatorssuch as the USA, Canada and Japan.”

Leitch Review of Skills 2006

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© Jacom Stephens

“To realise our ambition, we must alldevelop and sustain a regard forlearning at whatever age… Learningstimulates enquiring minds andnourishes our souls. It takes us indirections we never expected,sometimes changing our lives.”

The Learning Age, DfEE, 1998

Learning is also valuable for its own sake.

That is why unionlearn is working in partnership with the Open University to helpmore union members into higher education through the union route.

Our shared objective is set out in the memorandum of understanding betweenboth organisations. The aim is to encourage 4,000 union members a year intotaking a wide range of OU courses. A special arrangement between the twoorganisations means union learners can claim a 10 per cent discount on fees fortheir first undergraduate course at level 1, that carry 30 and 60 credit pointstowards their qualification.

“As a country we simply cannot afford to have a highereducation sector that is focused only on school andcollege leavers. As the Leitch report made clear, 70 percent of the workforce in 2020 has already left school.Many of them need university level education.”

Leitch Review of Skills 2006

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© Grant Lynch

© Grant Lynch

One of the actions in the jointprogramme of work agreedbetween unionlearn and theOpen University was to assessthe demand for learning. Apostal survey was sent outthrough the TUC’s 10 largestunions to a random sample of5,000 union members, basedon their share of the totalmembership of the 10 unions.

Out of the 5,000 union members surveyed, 509(10 per cent) responded. In two unions the responserate was high (35 per cent and 30 per cent) but inthree there was a nil response rate. This might,however, indicate organisational difficulties in thoseunions distributing the survey within the timescalerather than any negative view from their membersabout taking up learning.

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The survey

Unions surveyedCWUGMBNASUWTNUTPCSUCATTUNISONUnite – Amicus sectionUnite – T&G sectionUSDAW

Profile of the respondents60% male/40% female79% aged 40+90% white/10% black and minority ethnic/other56 % member of the union for over 10 years

34% in professional occupation20% in associate professional/technical occupation7% in operative/clerical occupations

31% earned less than £19,99938% earned £20,000 - £29,99931% earned £30,000+

63% employed full-time in permanent work25% employed part-time/temporary

© Chris Schmidt

Most of the union members were ready for highereducation – with 42 per cent having a Level 3qualification and 29 per cent already educated toat least first degree level.

Only 14 per cent felt that they had completed their educational development.Two in five (41 per cent) were already engaged in further education, training anddevelopment. Over two thirds (67 per cent) were planning to undertake suchlearning next year, with 71 per cent hoping to undertake such opportunities in thenext 5 years and 31 per cent in the next 10 years.

Respondents’ highest level of qualification

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The demandfor learning

Qualification per cent respondentsVocational Level 3 – NVQs/BTEC etc. 26

Two or more A levels 16

First degree/HND/HNC 15

Up to five GCSEs (A-C)/O levels 15

Postgraduate qualification 14

Vocational Level 2 – NVQs/BTEC etc 7

No formal qualifications 7

“I need generalinformation on the nextstep to take and whatavenues are open tome in my career.”

The survey revealed a high recognition of theimportance of learning. Almost all (96 per cent)either strongly agreed or agreed that it is importantto always be learning and developing one’sknowledge. A similar proportion (91 per cent) feltthey would always keep on learning to make surethat their knowledge and skills were up to date.

The reasons for wanting to take up learning werediverse, with a higher proportion wanting to studyfor their personal development or leisure (81 percent) than those thinking that gaining educationalqualifications would benefit them in their work (56per cent).

© Claudia Dewald

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Selling learningto Sellafield

© Lorne Campbell/Guzelian

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The Open University, AimHigher, unionlearn and its unions areworking together to create opportunities for union members totaste different aspects of higher education. Union members atthe Sellafield nuclear site are taking up OU courses throughtheir union, Prospect. The site has around 10,000 employeesand 56 union learning reps. There is a learning centre atSellafield as well as an AimHigher Union Learning Club. The clubhas been set up to support learners who have set off on the OUroute. OU tutors facilitate the meetings, which cover how to planyour course, study skills and what to learn next. The club alsoenables learners to network with others doing the same courses.

I left school after A Levels to take up a job in thelabs at Sellafield. For over 20 years I worked myway up to become a business improvementmanager.

Although I had a lot of hands-on experience, I feltthe need to get some theoretical understandingof management.

I was thinking about undertaking degree-levelqualification or a professional qualification. Thiswas when my union Prospect came in. My unionlearning rep Val Marshall spoke to me about theopportunity to undertake an Openings or ShortCourse with the Open University.

Val explained about the AimHigher schemeand the variety of courses that were available.I thought to myself that this was an opportunityto dip my toe in the water.

So I decided to embark on the UnderstandingManagement Openings course. I’ve now justcompleted it and have gained ten credits. It wasboth useful to my work and to my own personaldevelopment. The OU support was really helpful,especially the telephone tutorials.

It was such a good experience that I’m nowplanning to take up a business studies coursewith the OU.

I trained as a union learning rep for my unionProspect last year. Then I volunteered as anAimHigher champion on the Sellafield site.Together with the two other champions Ihave encouraged union members to sign up tothe Open University Openings and Short Courses.As a result 20 places have been filled.

I have also worked on setting up the UnionLearning Club at Sellafield for OU AimHigherlearners. The club offers additional support in theworkplace to learners taking courses as well asnetworking opportunities for those who haveenrolled on them.

I explained the OU offer to Steve Hill and itsdiscount for union members. I told him that hecould try a taste of the OU and its methods priorto taking the plunge on a half or full unit.

I also advised Steve on what might be useful tohim for his own personal interest anddevelopment. His successful completion of thecourse and his plans to progress to another istestimony to his dedication and motivation tolearning.

It shows how unions in partnership with theOpen University and AimHigher can openwindows of opportunity for union learners.

The learner’s storySteve Hill

The learning rep’s storyVal Marshall

Barriers to learning

In spite of a buoyant demand for learning, unionmembers felt that there are barriers to accessingcourses. These are mainly lack of time and cost.Six in ten (59 per cent) felt getting paid time offwork to study as a problem. Over a quarter(27 per cent) stated that they had too manydomestic and personal responsibilities to thinkabout studying again. Just under a half felt thatthey could not afford the fees (47 per cent).This is understandable given that 30 per centearned less than £20,000.

Another barrier centred on the low recognition of how learning would help theirjob and career (33 per cent). This probably reflects the lack of support they havereceived from their employers/managers. This might also be a contributing factorin their lack of confidence to take up a course (25 per cent).

Strongly Agree Disagree StronglyBarriers agree % % % disagree %I would find it difficult to get paid time off workfrom my employer 20 39 23 5

I could not afford the course fees 15 32 33 6

I am not confident that I have the study skillsto take up a course 7 18 44 21

I am not sure that taking a course would improvemy job or career opportunities 6 27 40 15

I wouldn’t know where to start or how to apply 3 12 52 20

I haven’t been able to find a course that interests me 1 16 50 21

I have too many domestic and personalresponsibilities to think about studying again 4 23 52 11

I could not count on the support of my family andfriends to undertake further education 3 9 50 23

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“I needsupportfrom myemployerthroughtime offand feespaid.”

Incentives to learn

Not surprisingly in view of thebarriers they identified, thesurvey revealed that employersupport was the dominantfactor in taking up courses.More than four in five of therespondents agreed that adetermining factor was gettingpaid time off to study; with 38per cent agreeing strongly withthis. Almost three quarters feltthat they would be interested tolearn if the employer paid all orpart of the course fees.

Strongly Agree Disagree StronglyI would be interested to learn if … agree % % % disagree %I had an assessment to find out what mylearning needs are 16 40 23 3

I was supported by a colleague or a unionrep trained to advise on learning 13 34 27 5

My employer provided paid time off to study 38 43 8 1

My employer provided unpaid time off to study 10 20 43 12

My employer paid the fees or part of them 28 45 13 2

I was given help with childcare/other dependant care 12 27 9 3

I was given help with travel and studycosts such as books/equipment 20 45 14 4

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“I need paid time off tostudy and after-schoolcare for my two children.”

© Claudia Dewald

Ways to learn

Offering appropriate learning methods isessential in meeting the needs of a diverse rangeof people such as union learners. The surveyfound that over four in five had experiencedteaching sessions in small or large groups. Only athird had had one-to-one sessions such aslanguage coaching. About three in five thatexperienced small group sessions (61 per cent)and one-to-one sessions (59 per cent) were verypositive about how they supported their learning.But only one in five (21 per cent) felt this wayabout large sessions such as lectures.

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Which of the following have youexperienced in the past?

Sessions in a small group(e.g. training courses,seminars and tutorials)

One-to-one sessions (e.g.language coaching

Sessions in a large group(e.g. lectures or talks)

Not NotYes No at all very Fairly Very

84% 16% 2% 3% 34% 61%

34% 66% 12% 10% 19% 59%

81% 19% 7% 16% 56% 21%

Where you have experiencedface-to-face learning in thepast, to what extent did you feelthe method was right for you insupporting your learning?

Around two thirds (68per cent) of thosesurveyed had yet toexperience distancelearning. The greatesttake up was thetraditionalcorrespondence course(36 per cent) and theleast take up was fordistance learningsupported by telephonecalls to a tutor (18 percent). Only 7 per cent ofthose taking upcorrespondence courseshowever were verypositive (51 per centfairly positive) abouthow their learning wassupported. The mostpositive response wasin relation to distancelearning supported bytutorial sessions.Whereas 27 per centexperienced thesesessions, 23 per centwere very positive (35per cent fairly positive)about them. A quarter ofrespondentsexperienced acombination ofmethods (i.e. blendedlearning) with 27 percent being very positiveand 36 per cent fairlypositive about thedelivery.

Face-to-face (where the majority of the time is spent withsomeone or several people delivering your learning)

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Which of the following have youexperienced in the past?

Learning with printedmaterials only(e.g. traditionalcorrespondence course)

Learning using printedmaterials, online resourcesand audio/visual materials(e.g. Open Universitycourse)

Teaching delivered solelythrough a website (e.g.www.elearnuk.co.uk)

Distance learning supportedby tutorial sessions (e.g.Open University courses)

Distance learning supportedby telephone calls to a tutoror study advisor (e.g. OpenUniversity science shortcourses)

Not NotYes No at all very Fairly Very

36% 64% 16% 26% 51% 7%

32% 68% 10% 30% 43% 17%

18% 82% 41% 25% 25% 9%

27% 73% 27% 15% 35% 23%

18% 82% 39% 19% 26% 16%

Where you have experienceddistance learning in the past,to what extent did you feelthe method was right for youin supporting your learning?

“I wouldhope thatmy unionwouldbackmylearning100 percent.”

Distance learning (where the majority of the time is spentstudying on your own)

© Lisa F Young

The most dramatic result was that half the respondents wanted sessions in asmall groups. Over one in five preferred blended learning. But all other methodswere supported by less than one in 10 of the union learners.

If you had to choose, what would you say your overallpreferred method of delivery is?Sessions in a small group 50%

One-to-one sessions 6%

Sessions in a large group 7%

Learning with printed materials only 0%

Learning using printed materials, online resourcesand audio visual materials 7%

Teaching delivered solely through a website 1%

Distance learning supported by tutorial sessions 6%

Distance learning supported by telephone calls toa tutor or study advisor 1%

Blended learning 22%

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Have you experienced blendedlearning in the past?

Not NotYes No at all very Fairly Very

25% 75% 28% 9% 36% 27%

Where you have experiencedblended learning in the past,to what extent did you feelthe method was right for youin supporting your learning?

Blended learning (where there is a combination of severaldifferent methods of delivery, e.g. online learning using theinternet with access to a tutor)

There is therefore some evidence of differences between demand and supply.Whereas four in five respondents experienced sessions in large groups less thanone in 10 preferred this method. There did, however, seem to be more of a matchbetween demand and take up in relation to sessions in small groups andblended learning.

“I am interested inpursuing continuingprofessionaldevelopmentopportunities.”

© Galina Barskaya

Conclusion

There is increasing awarenessby union members that higherlevel skills will be required.Almost all the union membersresponding to the surveyagreed that it is important toalways be learning. Two in fivewere already engaged in furthereducation, training anddevelopment. Over two in fivehad a Level 3 qualification andwere ready for higher education.Almost a third already had atleast a first degree or equivalentand were ready to progressthrough postgraduateeducation/continuingprofessional development.

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However, respondents did identify a number of highbarriers to accessing such learning. Six in 10 feltgetting time off was a problem and more than four infive agreed that a determining factor in taking upcourses would be their employer providing paid timeoff to study. Another barrier was the cost of coursesand almost three quarters felt that they would beinterested to learn if the employer paid all or part ofthe fees. Other incentives included help withchildcare and travel and study costs.

Offering appropriate learning methods is essential inmeeting the needs of a diverse range of learners. Halfthe union members wanted sessions in small groups,with almost a fifth favouring a combination ofmethods – blended learning.

In order to meet this potential demand, there needsto be more incentives for employers to provide paidtime off to learn and contribute to fees. There alsoneed to be rights for unions to negotiate suchopportunities. Much more flexibility in the delivery ofprovision is required, customised to the needs of theadult learner. Union learning representatives canplay and are playing an important part in helpingand supporting their members to access highereducation. This is being done in conjunction with theOpen University and AimHigher, with taster sessionsheld in learning centres and union learning clubs.

© Grant Lynch

© Grant Lynch

Published by unionlearnCongress HouseLondon WCB LS

Tel 020 7079 6920Fax 020 7079 6921www.unionlearn.org.uk

November 2007Designed by wave.coopPrinted by Avenue

Front cover photos:top left © Lorne Campbell/Guzelianbottom left © Grant Lynchright © Chris Schmidt

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