More often than not, the real work of a trade union is done far away from the headlines.  It begins with the little moments, such as a conversation with a workplace rep at the lunch table. A member seeking advice or volunteering to have that difficult chat with management. It’s the moment when someone steps up for the first time. 

That is the thinking behind the Fórsa Skills Academy, which has launched its new  2026–2027 Skills Academy calendar, offering more than a year's worth of learning opportunities designed to help members develop as workplace representatives, branch officers and workplace activists. 

Check out the new Skills Academy calendar here.

From industrial relations and negotiations to leadership, communications, public speaking and resilience, the programme is about much more than training courses. It is about building confident activists who can organise and strengthen the union from the ground up. 

"The highlight of the year really has been the number of new workplace representatives we have trained. One hundred and sixty-five have come through the doors from August 2025 to May 2026, which is fantastic," says Fiona. 

That demand has been reflected in the need to schedule additional courses beyond the published calendar. 

"We have received a lot of additional requests for the Level 1 course which are off calendar because it really sets the groundwork for being an effective and confident representative." 

But Fiona says the course gives participants far more than technical knowledge. 

"Reps can build a network with other reps on the course and understand that the sector, division and context might be different, but many of the issues are similar that reps deal with." 

That shared learning creates something that extends well beyond a lunchtime Zoom call. 

"Many leave the three-day course full of enthusiasm and new ideas to create greater visibility and engagement in their work locations. They also have the skills to begin their representative role for colleagues, although there are more skills-building courses at other levels." 

One of the biggest developments for the new academic year is the introduction of a clearer learning pathway, allowing representatives to continue building their knowledge as they gain experience. Rather than viewing training as a series of standalone courses, the Skills Academy has designed a progression that reflects the different stages of a representative's journey. 

New activists begin with Level 1 Workplace Representatives Training, before progressing to Level 2 once they have gained practical workplace experience. From there, representatives can continue to develop through specialist skills courses and branch leadership training. 

Fiona says the pathway is designed to help members grow naturally into new responsibilities. 

"Given that we are developing a learning pathway, there are many different skills reps can take, depending on the level they are at, so we have popular courses at Level 1 and our skills courses such as public speaking or resilience building." 

The pathway also reflects how the union believes activists should develop. 

"New reps should take Level 1 Workplace Representatives Training first and then progress to Level 2 with about nine to twelve months' experience and support from their branch committee. We also recommend that when deciding to become active, a member should first become a local workplace representative, get the training, and then become active on the branch committee once they have gained some local experience." 

For experienced activists, the learning doesn’t need to stop, with the academy continuing to expand its industrial relations training. 

"Branch officers can avail of any of the skills training such as public speaking, negotiations or conflict resolution," says Fiona. 

"We run a two-level Industrial Conflict Resolution which is all about using procedures correctly and how to get the most out of them. We are currently developing a Level 3 Industrial Resolution for the new term which will be a practical team roleplay, and more information will be released on this over the coming months." 

The Skills Academy is built around adult education principles, recognising that representatives already bring valuable knowledge with them before they ever enter a training room. 

"First and foremost, they will get a very big welcome onto the course before we get down to the topic. All our trainers are highly experienced in their subject matter, and have all been practitioners, many still are, in their chosen area." 

Fiona is insistent that rather than relying on lectures, the emphasis is on practical learning. 

"Courses are based on the principles of adult education and trade union education which means they are focused on the student, providing practical knowledge, developing key skills and outlining the application of learning to embed their learning and gain experience." 

Just as importantly, participants learn from each other. 

"It also focuses on peer-to-peer learning, is group oriented, recognises prior learning and experience and encourages the sharing of knowledge gained." 

Those connections often continue long after the course finishes. 

For Fiona, the real success of the Skills Academy isn't measured by attendance figures. It's measured by what representatives do when they return to their workplaces. 

"The essence of training is empowerment, and we are trying to ensure that workplace representatives feel that they can take on challenges within their experience and skills level, and then to keep progressing." 

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