Widening Access and Skills Development Through HE Learning in the Workplace

Pete Cannell (pete.cannell@open.ac.uk)

The Open University in Scotland

Context – The OU in Scotland

Part of the OU UK. A Scottish University by statute and funded by the Scottish Government

Approx 15,000 students

Over 70% in work

Approx 23% live in rural Scotland

Context – Scottish Union LearningScottish Union Learning is part of the STUC and works with affiliated unions to support their members in accessing skills and lifelong learning opportunities

There are over 630,000 individuals in STUC affiliated unions and around 2000 trained union learning representatives

The OU in Scotland and SUL signed a memorandum of understanding in 2007

Some models of WBL

• Employee-students in vocational areas undertake professional qualifications part time using their work context as a key component of their learning

• Employee-students undertake general degree studies using their work context for learning and assessment

• Workers undertake in-house courses that are then credit-rated towards HEI awards

• Workers undertake programmes deliberately planned to integrate learning and practice”

• (Ball and Manwaring 2010, p. 4).

Development HE learning inthe workplace• Since 2009 we have worked through the SUL

partnership with more than 2000 union members across 9 unions and multiple sectors

• Roughly 30/70 split between accredited and informal courses–Accredited courses to achieve qualifications in

regulated professions–Accredited courses directly relevant to employment–Accredited courses as a means to develop confidence

and learning skills–AND all the above through the means of non-

accredited courses linked to OERs

Some examples

• ACCREDITED• BSc Engineering for shop floor workers • HE for module for low paid workers in the

care sector• Childcare, Psychology – Postal workers,

Prison officers, Financial services staff…• NON-ACCREDITED• IT skills for production workers in Food

and Drink• Equality and Diversity workshops – ditto…

What we’ve learnt• Importance of the workplace group determining the

nature of the study• Setting up partnerships takes time to achieve trust and

shared understanding• Importance of integrating reflection into study• Partnership means recognising and valuing dual

identities – the HEI has to be prepared for different boundaries. We share interests with students, the union and the employer but there are also tensions

• Workplace democracy – Employer led training• The power of peer support• From Open Educational Resources to Open Educational

Practices

References• Ball I., Manwaring G. (2010) “Making it Work: a guidebook exploring work-based learning”,

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/WBL_Guidelines.pdf, last accessed 5th of July 2012

• Brennan J., Little D., Connor H., de Wert E., Delve s., Harris J., Josselyn B., Ratcliffe N., Scesa A. (2006) “Towards a Strategy for Workplace Learning: Report to HEFCE by CHERI and KPMG. Higher Education Funding Council, Bristol, UK

• Evans, K. et al (2002) Working to Learn. London: Kogan Page• Evans, K. et al (2006) Improving Workplace Learning. Abingdon: Routledge• Nixon, I. et al (2006) Work-based learning: illuminating the higher education landscape.

York: Higher Education Academy• Payne, J. (2010) A review of Skills Utilisation projects for the Scottish Funding Council

(including The Open University in Scotland), SKOPE, Cardiff University• Scottish Funding Council (2010) “Workforce Development in Scotland: A Framework for

Action”, http://www.sfc.ac.uk/web/FILES/Our_Priorities_Skills/Workforce_Development_Framework_for_Action_%28November_2010%29_%7B227003829%7D.pdf, last accessed 5th of July 2012

• Unwin, L. and Fuller, A. (2003) Expanding Learning in the Workplace. Leicester: NIACE• Van Woerkom, M. and Poell, R. (2010) Workplace Learning: concepts, measurement and

application. Abingdon: Routledge