Challenges of Workplace Learning - Lessons from the Evaluation of Learning @ Work

1. Challenges of Workplace Learning - Lessons from the Evaluation of Learning @ Work Finbar McDonnell, Hibernian Consulting

2. Why is Learning @ Work Important? • High level of early school leaving in Ireland • ESLs tend to end up in low-skilled jobs with low wages • Policy consensus on low-skill workers • White Paper on Adult Education (2000) • Enterprise Strategy Group (2004) • National Workplace Strategy (2005) • NESC (2005) and NESF (2006) reports • National Social Partnership Agreements

3. Interventions for Target Group • Dept of E&S has a range of interventions, including Youthreach and BTEI • FÁS interventions include School Leaver Programmes and One Step Up Initiative • Training provided by other state agencies, by Skillnets and by companies themselves Policy still evolving on upskilling this target group – Learning @ Work a timely initiative

4. Structure of L@W Programme L@W Steering Group (incl. DEP, WRP, FÁS, DES) Clondalkin L@W Tallaght L@W Blanch L@W Kildare L@W Wicklow L@W Outreach work to Employers, Participants, Trainers

5. Models of Intervention under L@W • Model 1: One large company, in-house • Sales point is company HR Department • Model 2: Multiple companies, off-site • Multiple sales points but suits SMEs • Model 3: Variation of Model 2 • Multiple companies, but in same sector • Model 4: Multiple companies, training outside work hours

6. Outreach Work with Employers • Difficult work (Northside P’ship example) • ‘Sales arguments’ needed for companies • Why should a company participate? • Sales skills needed by project workers • Face-to-face meetings needed • Can be supplemented with general publicity • National campaign needed to raise awareness of need for up-skilling this target group

7. Outreach Work with Participants • Work required will vary by intervention model • Face-to-face meetings needed • Clear arguments again needed • Negative previous experiences of education • Don’t see link to lifetime earnings • Less interest among 17-21 year olds • Projects demonstrate that demand is out there • No register of ESLs in employment

8. Training Content & Informal Supports • Similar mix of modules across pilot actions • Personal development, confidence building (front-load?) • Communication skills • IT related modules (normally ECDL) • Perhaps vocational modules • Training and education balance • Provision of career guidance advice? • Importance of informal ‘flanking’ supports • Two specific issues arose: • Dyslexia support for adult learners • Payment by people in employment for BTEI courses

9. Conclusion and Mainstreaming Issues • L@W brief as per Sustaining Progress fulfilled • Range of learning has emerged – documented in evaluation report and in the detailed annexes from the actions • Hard to identify precisely where learning should fit in • Lessons for FÁS and Dept of E&S • Learning for Area Partnerships and Rural Dev companies • Implications for employer groups and trade unions • Issue of building on good work at a local level Learning @ Work provides substantial learning to support up-skilling of low-skilled workers in Ireland