Speaking at a TUC conference this week, David Blunkett announced the approval of 17 new Union Learning Fund projects across the country. The Union Learning Fund offers financial support to trade unions to promote or support learning in the workplace, and £4.5 million will be available in the coming year to projects relating to learning in the workplace submitted by unions. The fund is administered by the Department for Education and Employment, and around £2 million has so far been set aside specifically to support projects aimed at improving basic skills.

In the last year trade unions have tempted almost 100,000 of their members back into training, according to a new survey released by the TUC this week, and nine out of ten learning reps say they could reach out to many more people if they were given more support from their employers. The TUC has trained some 2,000 union members as learning reps, with the main aim of helping them to encourage as many of their workmates as possible back into learning.

The TUC learning reps survey found that, when asked about the one factor which would encourage more of their colleagues to take up learning, 70% cited paid time off for learning, 62% funding to spend on learning, 53% access to learning resources during working hours, and 26% assistance with childcare or travel.

TUC General Secretary, John Monks said: "All too often, training is a rarity in workplaces. And many people are reluctant to return to learning, remembering with dread the classrooms of their schooldays. That's why the TUC is keen to see the government introduce entitlements to free courses to allow workers whose skill levels fall below NVQ Level 3 to gain the desired qualifications. And employers could do their bit as well, by granting paid educational leave to their staff, just as happens in many workplaces across Europe."