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A Workforce for the 21 st Century Lifelong learning in the community and the workplace. John Hedger Chairman Lifelong Learning UK. Scope of talk. Why lifelong learning? Skills for the 21st century Issues for the UK Community learning The sector approach Lifelong Learning UK .
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A Workforce for the 21st CenturyLifelong learning in the community and the workplace John Hedger Chairman Lifelong Learning UK
Scope of talk • Why lifelong learning? • Skills for the 21st century • Issues for the UK • Community learning • The sector approach • Lifelong Learning UK
Why lifelong learning? • for personal fulfilment? • for employability? • for social cohesion?
Why lifelong learning? (2) “ Despite a rhetorical commitment to the notion of lifelong learning as a significant contributor to the creation of a fairer, more cohesive and more inclusive society, the dominant drivers of government policy are clearly designed to prepare first time entrants to the labour market and help less qualified adults enhance their employability “ (Eight in Ten . Adult learners in further education. UK. National Institute for Adult and Continuing Education)
Why lifelong learning? (3) “ The way forward [for further education] is to [acquire] an appetite to catch up with international economies ‘ [adopt] a core focus on skills and employability [and thus] increase the pool of employable people and …enhance business productivity “ UK ‘Foster Report’ 2005
Why lifelong learning?(4) “ A competitive society is one which achieves a dynamic equilibrium between wealth creation and social cohesion” Stephane Garelli World Competitive Handbook 1995
Drivers of occupational change • Technological changes = higher order skills • Increasing labour mobility • Multi skilling and cross-skilling • More flexible working practices • Older workers + birth-rate decline = inverted workforce
Issues for the UK Economy • 6th largest GDP • High rate of employment (74.5%) • Productivity improving but still relatively low • 30% of workforce unskilled or low skilled, while • Demands on skills are rising
Lifelong Learning Strategies • An increasing emphasis on:- • Skills for employment • Employer-led programmes • Qualifications at level 2 and above
Community Learning in England Chrisp Street Ideas Store • Far more than just a library… • Meeting Local Needs • Boosting education, training and job opportunities Lifelong Learning - The Ideas Store promise
Community Learningin Scotland • Children’s University • Supporting children from poorest areas in Scotland to stay in school for extended learning • All the Family is encouraged to be involved in the Children’s University
The Role of a Sector Skills Council an employer led body with strategic responsibility for • workforce planning • workforce standards and qualifications • training and development • labour market intelligence • investment in skills, recruitment and retention replacing the former sector NTOs
Lifelong Learning – how the sector is defined the workforce employed in: • higher education • further education • work based learning • community based learning and development • libraries, archives and information services
Work themes • Coherent climbing frame of core standards and credit based qualifications • Broker recognition between professional bodies in our constituencies • Career pathway in and across our 5 constituencies • Map & tackle skills gaps and shortages • Decisions about workforce developmenthave to be founded on robust data
Sector Skills Agreements taking action to meet priority workforce development needs • assessment of current and future skills needs • assessment of what is currently provided • analysis of gaps and weaknesses • assessment of scope for collaborative action • development of a funded action plan for the lifelong learning sector
Why standards are important recruitment & selection specification quality assurance and appraisal development needs identification STANDARDS FOR TEACHING AND SUPPORTING LEARNING development programme design formal assessment and accreditation identification of support needs
All teachers in the Learning & Skills Sector Initial Assessment Continuing professional development phase – Varied delivery options, annual requirement for all teachers Full qualification for Part-time, full-time & Fractional teachers Qualified teacher learning & skills awarded – Full Licence to practise Exit point for those with Limited teaching role Awarded by Institute for Learning Qualification process for all teachers in learning & skills sector Passport to Teaching Award
Keep in touch www.lifelonglearninguk.org