McVitie’s man is ULR of the year
USDAW member Jonathan Waterhouse has been awarded Union Learning Representative of the year at a ceremony at TUC Congress House in London for his success in introducing hundreds of his colleagues at McVities, Manchester, to learning.
Like a lot of people growing up in the bleakly deprived area of Gorton in Manchester during the 1980’s, Jonathan Waterhouse did not get very much out of school and left without English and maths qualifications. ‘Most of the teachers weren’t interested and that rubbed off on the rest of us,’ he recalled.
Yet that negative experience of education made him the ideal candidate to become a union learning rep co-ordinator when USDAW opened up an onsite learning centre at the McVitie’s Manchester factory, with support from the Union Learning Fund.
Jonathan, who works on the Penguin biscuit production line, gained his owned literacy and numeracy qualifications after training as a ULR partly to fill the gaps left by his own education and partly because he is a firm believer in leading by example.
He said “if you’ve got someone who is in their 50s with no qualifications and you try to interest them in English and maths, it needs to be in an environment where they feel relaxed – and I think we’ve cracked that, because our learners have achieved more than 150 Skills for Life qualifications.’
Jonathan and his nine fellow ULRs have encouraged 150 colleagues to take up the myguide beginner computer courses, he runs the Reading Agency’s Six Book Challenge and has established an NVQ programme which has led to 100 McVitie’s workers gaining Level 2 qualifications. Jonathan is proud of the way learning has changed from being an added extra to becoming a part and parcel of everyday life in the factory.
John Hannett, Usdaw General Secretary, said; “Many congratulations and good luck to Jonathan and his team of ULRs at McVities, Manchester. By promoting lifelong learning they have given hundreds of their members a second chance to improve their skills, increase their confidence, and enhance their employment prospects. It’s a win- win situation for both the workers and the company and credit to the management at McVitie’s who I know have been very supportive.’
