Calling all receptionists!

THE Learning Advocates initiative is coming to Warrington and it needs the help of receptionists employed in local companies.
Receptionists are at the hub of a business and know everyone in the company.
Learning Advocates is a project that helps to encourage employed people to get involved in learning and receptionists are in an ideal position to be able to promote learning to their colleagues.
Liz Johnston from Learning Advocates says “The initiative is all about upskilling the workforce. We offer free training to enable a member of staff from a non-unionised company to train as either a Learning Advocate or a Learning Supporter. This member of staff can be working in any role but we’re particularly keen to attract receptionists to take part. Advocates are trained to interview colleagues/promote learning, and Supporters are trained to publicise learning opportunities to their colleagues. In the current climate it is particularly important to have a skilled workforce and having a trained advocate or supporter is a real asset to a company. We need local receptionists to take up the challenge of promoting learning in their companies”
A free 4 day advocate training course will be running in Warrington during April and May 2009. Supporter training is delivered via a 2 hour on-line course and can be accessed anytime/anyplace as long as people have internet access.
The initiative is completely free to non-unionised companies who do not have Investors in People status and is funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) as part of its regional European Social Fund (ESF) programme. Dave Brennan, Acting Director of Skills, LSC North West says “In these tough times training is more important than ever, and companies that don’t train their staff are 2.5 times more likely to fail than those that do. Training can also have a big impact on individuals, and open the doors to a more fulfilling career. It is great to see schemes like the Learning Advocates Initiative in action. This sort of help for the people of Warrington is exactly what the European Social Fund is about.”
The Learning Advocates initiative has been operated in Cumbria by Liz & Graham Johnston of The Johnston Partnership since 2004 and is now being rolled out across the North West region.
For more information contact Liz Johnston, Tel/Text: 07791 639 146, Email: [email protected]
or log on to www.learningadvocates.co.uk
Pictured :Liz Johnston & Graham Johnston.