If you have never done any work based learning before, you will need to think about the support that you can get from your employer, your manager, your colleagues and your union.
There are many kinds of support for workplace learning. These are some examples:
- Financial help
- Time off for studying, attending college or completing assignments
- Mentoring and access to experienced staff
- Help to develop work based projects
- Access to computers, software and other resources
You can download three useful guides here to help you to get support.
Workplace Support for Your Studies is for you as a learner to help you to identify the support you need and when and how to ask for it. Download Workplace Support for Your Studies [PDF]
 Sources of further advice on higher education for advisers and learners There is also a short Guide for advisers so that they can help learners to do this. Sources of further advice on higher education for advisers and learners [PDF] |
Higher education at work: making the case to employers is a guide for trade union reps to help to develop the skills and knowledge needed to make the case for support for learners who want to progress to higher learning. Download a copy of Higher education at work: Making the case to employers (PDF 1870kb) or complete the online form to request a copy.
E-Learning for workplace mentors
If you, your colleagues or line manager would be interested in developing skills as a workplace mentor, Foundation Degree Forward and the Open University have developed a free e-learning module Supporting Workplace Learning. Follow this link http://sws.oucpld.com/
Facilitating group study of Supporting Workplace Study
This set of resources has been developed to facilitate a group of learners accessing Supporting Workplace Study and providing peer support.
It assumes a one day group session prior to beginning the resource and a half day session on completion. A Programme, PowerPoint and Facilitors’ notes are provided along with two integral handouts. It has been successfully trialled with a group of union learning reps.
- Supporting Workplace Study facilitator notes
- Supporting Workplace Study presentation
- Supporting Workplace Study handout 1
- Supporting Workplace Study handout 2
- Supporting Workplace Study – learner programme
Union learning clubs
Your union may be able to set up a union learning club for members to support each other in their higher level learning. There are examples of this on the unionlearn website.
