Barry Young

Learning Works Awards
Yorkshire and the Humber

Barry Young’s passion for lifelong learning is exceeded only by his desire to pass on what he learns to young people in the Sea Cadet Corps.

The 47-year-old bus driver in Leeds left school with no formal qualifications and has worked on the buses for 20 years. When First Bus and the TGWU (now Unite) launched a lifelong learning project in 2002, he was first in, taking everything from basic literacy, numeracy and IT training to the Level 4 City & Guilds Diploma in Youth Management & Training.

Barry has used his learning for promotion in every area of life, rising to Warrant Officer Class 1 in the Sea Cadet Corps, where he also qualified for the National Diving Section. He now gives otherwise expensive scuba diving lessons for free to young cadets.

“I have been infected by the learning bug and do not intend to stop any time soon,” he said. He now hopes to do a degree and be promoted to management.

Gary Britt, his nominator and trade union learning representative, said, “Barry is a prime example of how, with drive and determination, you can overcome any barrier to learning and succeed.”

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Barry Young, 2010 Award Winner

Film produced by Coracle Films