The TUC is celebrating adult learners’ week by inviting its entire staff to take a free skills assessment.

As part of the annual celebration of adult learning, aimed at raising the profile of the Government’s key skills for life in literacy and numeracy, the TUC is also running numerous events around the country to encourage adults to take up training courses and union members to sign up as learning reps.

Union learning reps are union members trained to encourage their colleagues to explore the learning opportunities available to them at work. The union learning rep programme has seen over 100,000 workers helped back into learning since 1998. There are now more than 8,000 union learning reps in workplaces throughout the country.

TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: "Union learning reps have led the way in transforming the lives of so many adults. We cannot put a price on the value of having a friendly face close at hand to encourage people to take those first steps to sign up to skills improvement.

"Skills gaps exist at all levels in all industries in the UK and are stopping people from getting on at work, costing the British economy millions of pounds each year. Adult learners' week is the perfect opportunity for everyone to think about learning new skills, or just brushing up on old ones, to help them get on at work and in their personal life."