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The AFT and the Albert Shanker Institute were among the sponsors of
a June 29-30 seminar in Washington, D.C., aimed at bringing a
national workplace career advising system to workers in the United
States. The workplace adviser system under consideration may be
modeled on the UnionLearn
program, which was created by the
Trades Union Congress (TUC) in
the United Kingdom. That program, which places union learning
representatives (ULRs) at the workplace, has enjoyed enormous
success. The AFT and the Shanker Institute have focused on the
lessons learned from the UK experience as they contemplated piloting
such a program in the United States. The underlying idea behind the
workplace adviser/ULR program is that workers are far more likely to
confide their aspirations—and their self-perceived education/skills
deficits—to a fellow worker who is a union representative than to
their employer.
In the rapidly changing 21st-century economy, workers must
continue to learn if they are to keep up with the demands of new
technology and a churning job market. Despite this complex
landscape, workers are expected to figure out their career goals and
develop a learning plan largely on their own. This lack of guidance
leads to poor career choices, wasted resources and unrealized
potential.
The ULRs in the United Kingdom are trained to direct workers to
educational resources and programs, which can put the workers on a
track to a better or more fulfilling job or career.
The AFT has ULR pilot programs under way at affiliates in
Baltimore and the North Suburban school district in Skokie, Ill. ULR
volunteers include both teacher and PSRP members. AFT executive vice
president Lorretta Johnson, who also is the long-time president of
the Baltimore Teachers Union paraprofessional chapter, and North
Suburban Teachers Union president Dan Montgomery addressed the
seminar and described the AFT's activities to date.
This event brought representatives from other unions that are
active in current workplace learning advising pilots together with
leaders in labor, academia, business, government and foundations.
Tom Wilson, the director of UnionLearn in the TUC, gave an overview
presentation about the UK program. Martha Coven, a special assistant
to the president on the White House Domestic Policy Council,
underscored the administration's commitment to promoting education
and training for students and adults alike.
Participants heard presentations from U.S. union/management teams
in the education, health, auto and aerospace sectors that have
career advising programs in place. These included IAM, IFPTE, UAW,
IBEW, AFT, AFSCME, Boeing, Kaiser Permanente and Temple University
health systems. Top officials from the U.S. Department of Education
and Labor also contributed.
The AFL-CIO, the Council on Competitiveness, and the Council for
Adult and Experiential Learning also co-sponsored the program, which
was funded by a grant from the Shanker Institute.
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