GMB Birmingham & West Midlands Education Course Programme

September 2017to 2018GMB Courses

Course / Date / Duration / Location
Health & Safety Stage 1 / September 19th for 10 Tuesdays to 28th November 2017 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Stoke
Health & Safety Stage 1 / September 20th for 10 Wednesdays to 29th November 2017 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Halesowen
Health & Safety Stage 1 / 16th January for 10 Tuesdays to 27th March 2018 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Stoke
Health & Safety Stage 1 / 17th January for 10 Wednesdays to 28th March 2018 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Halesowen
Health & Safety Stage 1 / 24th April for 10 Tuesdays to 3rd July 2018 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Stoke
Health & Safety Stage 1 / 25th April for 10 Wednesdays to 4th July 2018 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Halesowen
Health & Safety Stage 2 / September 18th for 10 Mondays to 27th September 2017 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Halesowen
Health & Safety Stage 2 / 21st September for 10 Thursdays to 30th November 2017 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Stoke
Health & Safety Stage 2 / 15th January for 10 Mondays to 26th March 2018 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Halesowen
Health & Safety Stage 2 / 18th January for 10 Thursdays to 29th March 2018 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Stoke
Health & Safety Stage 2 / 23rd April for 10 Mondays to 9th July 2018 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Halesowen
Health & Safety Stage 2 / 26th April for 10 Thursdays to 5th July 2018 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Stoke
GMB@Work Stage 2
A refresher course for reps / 21st September for 10 Thursdays to 30th November 2017 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Halesowen
GMB@Work Stage 2
A refresher course for reps / 21st September for 10 Thursdays to 30th November 2017 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Tamworth
GMB@Work Stage 2
A refresher course for reps / 18th January for 10 Thursdays to 29th March 2018 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Halesowen
GMB@Work Stage 2
RepresenA refresher course for reps / 18th January for 10 Thursdays to 29th March 2018 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Stoke
GMB@Work Stage 2
A refresher course for reps / 26th April for 10 Thursdays to 5th July 2018 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Halesowen
GMB@Work Stage 2
A refresher course for reps / 26th April for 10 Thursdays to 5th July 2018 / 10 weeks
1 day a week / Stoke
GMB Learning@Work
Taking up the learning agenda in your workplace / 11th September 2017 / 1 Day / Halesowen
GMB Learning@Work
Taking up the learning agenda in your workplace / 16th October 2017 / 1 Day / Stoke
GMB Learning@Work
Taking up the learning agenda in your workplace / 8th January 2018 / 1 Day / Halesowen
Speaking up / 13th,14th 15th December 2017 / 3 days / Halesowen
Speaking up / 20th, 21st, 22nd February 2018 / 3 days / Stoke
Speaking up / 16th, 17th 18th July 2018 / 3 days / Halesowen
Computer skills / 5th October for three Thursdays to 19th October 2017 / 3 days / Stoke
Computer skills / 9thNovember for three Thursdays to 23rd November 2017 / 3 days / Halesowen
Social media: issues for GMB representatives / 18th September 2017 / 1 day / Halesowen

Remember to attend any course you must complete a GMB Birmingham & West Midlands application form for that course.

What’s involved on the courses and who are they for?

Health & Safety Stage 1 – Halesowen Stoke
This course covers the role and functions of the GMB safety rep. It takes a close looks at your legal rights including:
  • Inspections
  • Investigating accidents
  • Raising members health and safety issues
  • Setting up a safety committee
  • Consultation over changes
The course also covers workplace hazards, the employer’s legal responsibilities and health and safety policies. All GMB safety reps are legally entitled to attend the course.
Health & Safety Stage 2 – Halesowen and Stoke
This course builds on your H&S stage 1 and is best taken after you've spent some time building up your experience as a safety rep at work.
The course gives you the opportunity to work in detail on a project about making improvements to H&S at work.
GMB@Work Stage 2:Representation, organising, bargaining and equality.
A refresher course for reps – Halesowen, Stoke and Tamworth
This course is designed for any rep who has attended their GMB 10 day induction.
It works as a refresher course which builds on your experience and consolidates your knowledge. But it is also a further step up in your progression providing you with a deeper understanding of:
  • Collective bargaining
  • Negotiation
  • Equality
  • Organising
  • Representation

GMB Learning@Work – Halesowen and Stoke
.
This course provides an introduction to learning as a trade union issue. It looks at the role of the Union Learning Representative and provides key information on apprenticeships and other learning at work initiatives to help you take up the learning agenda in your workplace.
Speaking Up – Halesowen and Stoke
This follow on course is designed to build on previous GMB training and equip you with the skills and knowledge to take on difficult case work. It focusses on case analysis, preparation and the effective use of procedure and policy.
Computer Skills – Halesowen and Stoke
This course is designed to help you however limited your knowledge of computers might be. When you come along the Tutor will discuss which course is best for you.
Computers for Beginners Level 1
This computer course is for beginners and requires no prior knowledge of computers. It will give you an introduction to Word Processing, Spreadsheets and Databases using Microsoft Office.
Using Computers Level 2
This course is aimed at those people who have completed the Level 1 course or have some prior knowledge of using Word, Excel and Access. It includes File Management, Mail Merge, Integration of Files, Using the Internet.
Come and learn in a friendly, informal environment! The Tutor can also give you help and support with any other issues you might have so don’t worry if your spelling isn’t perfect!
Social media: issues for GMB representatives
More and more people are putting their private lives in the public domain and all this personal information can be read by anyone. At the same time employers are monitoring the use of social media at work systematically.
This one day course will cover the issues arising from this situation and give guidance to reps on how to respond.
It provides a vital update for any GMB rep who might find themselves having to dreal with these issues in the workplace.

If you have queries regarding this programme please contact the Education Department on 0121 550 4888 ext 3.

All representatives wanting to apply for courses need to complete the GMB application form and return to the Education Department.

All representatives wishing to claim expenses must send all expenses to the Education department for authorisation. See expense guidance notes on or contact 0121 550 4888 to request a hardcopy.

Yours Sincerely

Tom Rigby

Education & Health & Safety Officer

GMB Birmingham & West Midlands

Course Application Form

Please read guidance notes on Regional Education profile

Course Details

Course Title

Date of Course Venue

Personal Details

Surname Forename

Membership no: Union Position

Address for mailing Home or Work

Postcode

Daytime Telephone number

Email

Monitoring Details

Age Date of Birth Male Female

Ethnicity (please indicate, this information is completely confidential and voluntary, the information will be gathered used for statistical purposes only)

Asian: Bangladeshi Black: African Mixed: Ethnic Background

Asian: Indian Black: Caribbean White: British

Asian: Pakistan Black: Other White: European

Asian: Other Chinese Other: please specify

Do you consider yourself to have a disability? Yes No

Other Details

Name of Employer

Have you requested permission to attend this course Yes No

If yes have you attached the Employers Release Form Yes No

Reason for course application:

(Please include as much information as possible for your application to be considered)

Please state of any special requirements:

Please state any conditions of which the course organiser should be aware

Signature of applicant: Date:

Please return this form to

Deb Watt

Education, Health & Safety Department

GMB Birmingham & West Midlands Region

Will Thorne House

2 Birmingham Road

Halesowen

B63 3HP

Or email to

Employers Release Form

Very important

In order to reduce course cancellations; please give this form to your employer to obtain permission prior to sending your course application form. If due to time limitations this cannot be done send your completed application form and return this form as soon as you can, wherever possible obtain oral confirmation until the form is signed. Forms can be posted, emailed or faxed directly to the education department on 0121 550 4272.

COURSE TITLE ______

DATE(S) OF COURSE ______

VENUE ______

REPRESENTATIVES NAME ______

EMPLOYER ______

*It is/it is not (*please delete) our intention to grant paid release from work for the above representative to attend the above course.

Signed on behalf of the Employer ______

Please print name ______

Daytime telephone number ______

Date ______

Your attention is drawn to the legal rights that Trade Union Representatives have to attend Training Courses with pay (ACAS Code of Practice – “Time Off for Trade Union Duties and Activities”).

If you are unwilling to grant paid release in respect of this request, please complete the section below. You are advised that we may take further action to secure paid release from work in respect of this request if we feel it necessary.

Paid release will not be granted on this occasion because:

______

Thank you for completing this form. Please return to the Education Department

Will Thorne House, 2 Birmingham Road, Halesowen, West Midlands, B63 3HP

Or email to