New development fund for skills in Scotland

More than 5,000 workers are set to benefit from learning and skills development through their trade unions as a result of funding from the Scottish government and Europe. The new Scottish Union Learning Development Fund will help trade unions to develop their work around workplace learning and skills by supporting union-led projects.

The Scottish TUC (STUC) reports that development activity by different unions is set to run in hundreds of workplaces and within certain geographical areas. In all projects this development activity will explicitly lead to learning opportunities for workers. The development fund does not directly fund learning, but will be used to complement existing union strategies on lifelong learning.

Anne Douglas, Scottish Union Learning Board chair, said: “The STUC is committed to supporting, practicing and promoting equality of opportunity. Through the development fund, Scottish Union Learning will work with trade unions to tackle the barriers to skills and learning opportunities faced by disadvantaged groups to ensure equality of opportunity.”

Scottish Union Learning was launched in May 2008. The Scottish government has allocated just under £4.25 million to Scottish Union Learning and union-led learning initiatives until March 2011. Scottish Union Learning also accessed £1.5 million through the European Social Fund for the same period.

For further information, contact: Jennifer Payne, marketing officer, Scottish Union Learning, tel: 0141 337 8130, fax: 0141 337 8101.