A NEW learning centre has been opened by Worcester MP Mike Foster at Reality - aimed at improving skills among the 1,000-strong workforce.

The joint project between the company and the Transport and General Workers Union has received Government funding as part of the Union Learning Funding Scheme.

"I am delighted to see this project starting to tackle the educational scandal of our time," said Mr Foster.

"There are currently around seven million adults who do not have the literary skills expected of an 11-year-old.

"This scandal blights the lives of these people, and hinders their progress to realise their full potential.

"It stops firms from improving their profits and stops our whole economy from growing as fast as it should.

He said the country's comparatively low adult literacy level partly explained why competitor nations were more productive.

"This project will offer workers at Reality the chances to get a taste of learning at their workplace," he added.

"It could mean computing, or even learning a foreign language. They may just want to brush up on their maths, but now they have the environment to do this."

Mr Foster said he was "delighted" to meet some of the company's 27 trained learning representatives and to see how the project helped the trade union promote its activities and protect its workers.

n Trained learning reps celebrate the opening of the new learning centre at Reality. Picture by Marie Hodson. 41408702