Education in Employment and Roadmap for Employer-Academic Partnership

1. Education in Employment and Roadmap for Employer-Academic Partnership

2. Strategic Innovation Fund 2006-2013 €42 million in Cycle 1 - 2006 €92 million in Cycle 2 - 2007 • Improve access and lifelong learning • Promote collaboration • Support institutional restructuring and reform • Enhance teaching and learning

3. Background and Context National Context: Workforce Development– Lifelong Learning- Upskilling and Reskilling Regional assessment of requirements Proactive collaboration between enterprise and education Common, well-understood, widely-used framework for the development of ‘Human Capital’ Higher Education Context: Moves Lifelong learning from periphery to the mainstream of academic priorities Flexible and adaptive responses to workforce development needs Creative and innovative – views academic institutions as Key Service Providers Embed isolated examples of excellence into mainstream activity

4. Education in Employment Project:Focus on 4 distinct areas • Work-based learning • Recognition of prior learning • Progression and diversification for craftspersons • Learning needs of migrants

5. Work-based Learning andLifelong Learning Four concepts help understand work-based learning in lifelong learning: • Partnership between external organisations and education institutions • Flexibility in terms of time, place and mode of learning • Relevance of meeting the needs of employers and learners • Accreditation of learning experiences

6. Recognition of Prior Learning and Lifelong Learning • Formal, non-formal, informal learning • Experience of the learner occupies central place in teaching and learning • Improve access for unemployed and maximise opportunities for up-skilling and re-skilling • Provide efficient user-friendly routes to qualifications

7. Progression of Craftspersons and Lifelong Learning • Creation of planned pathways from apprentice craft education into third level education • Additional exemptions through recognition of prior learning • Provision of a diverse range of delivery options

8. Migrants and Lifelong Learning • Recognition of international qualifications • Recognition of prior learning • English language provision • Cost of education • Lack of information regarding access to third-level education • Support services for migrant students

9. Roadmap for Employment-Academic Partnership Addresses the full spectrum of partnership engagement between Higher Education Institutions and workplaces Including: • involvement of workplace experts in the curriculum • development of flexible and accessible learning opportunities for workplace learners at all levels, • fostering of research and technology transfer opportunities

10. Tri-partite Learning Arrangements

11. Projects in the Lifelong Learning Context Building Capacity and Capability • Recognition of prior learning • Work-based and blended learning • Flexible and accessible learning Learning at, through and for work • Employer as key partner in the learning process • Specialist customised course developments • Professional postgraduate learning pathways • Negotiated and supported learning planning • Relevant and authentic assessment methods

12. Concluding Remarks • Enhancing people’s skills gives future competitive advantage to a workforce • Lifelong learning should play a significant part in development for those who are unemployed or whose job functions are under threat • Increasing pressure on Higher Education Institutions to work more closely with employers in meeting and predicting the workforce learning and development needs

13. For Further Information on the projects: www.eine.ie www.reap.ie