Education and training are central to the work of trade unions - always have been and always will be. The very first Trades Union Congress (TUC) debated the poor state of vocational training for young people - over 150 years ago!
BECTU carries on this tradition - not just because it is a tradition - but because working people are entitled to develop their skills and abilities as far as they are able. This is good for the individual but it is good for society too!
In this section we introduce you to the members, voluntary representatives and paid officials who are dedicated to the education and training of BECTU members.
The Education & Training team
The full-time officials in the Education and Training team are part of the broader BECTU full-time officials team. The team members are made up of permanent staff and publicly funded learning organisers and project managers, all of whom are experienced trades unionists as well as specialists in learning and learning support. The public funds include the Union Learning Funds of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and were instituted under the previous Labour administrations and the devolved governments and administrations of the UK.
The BECTU Training Committee
The BECTU Training Committee is made up of members from each of the union's five Divisions and a representative from the National Executive Committee (NEC). They are all lay members (they are BECTU members rather than paid officials). Their role is to ensure that the interests of members are fully reflected and acted upon.
