Learning Representative Initiatives in the UK and New Zealand: A Means to “Flexicurity†?

This paper employs empirical studies to consider whether learning representative initiatives in the UK and New Zealand can help the realisation of flexicurity. Learning representatives are trade union supported lay officials who advise on learning opportunities to their fellow employees at their place of employment. The aspect of flexicurity that is of greatest importance here is the equipping of workers with portable skills so that they may enjoy security of employment – rather than security from a specific job – through their flexibility in moving around the economy. The findings indicate that while government and trade unions in both countries seek to promote workers’ attainment of portable skills through the learning representative initiatives, some employers either favour learning for current jobs only, or oppose the schemes completely. Although the attainment of flexicurity was never an objective of the learning representative initiatives, limited support from employers is one reason why the schemes are not realising their full potential for flexicurity.