Innovative In-company Learning Initiatives in Ireland:learning to learn through collaborative partnerships

Dr Alan Bruce

Joe Kelly

Universal Learning Systems, Dublin

EDEN: Gdansk, 11 June 2009

Contexts: Irish employment transformation

• Decline of agriculture

• Uneven tradition of industrialization

• Labor market restriction - emigration history

• National policy initiatives

• Role of education and training

• Impact of globalization

Impact on competence and skills framework

• Ability to cope with sustained levels of competitiveness

• Impact of advanced technologies• Legislative and standards based

requirements• Social partnership• Focus on innovation, flexibility and

adaptability

Learning requirements in Irish employment

• Customer focus

• Quality

• Contribution and responsibility

• Technical skill - innovative adaptation

• Motivation

• Progression

Identified gaps

• Need for upskilling

• Adaptation to rapid change

• Implications of altered demographics

• Lack of structured framework

• Weak tradition of valued applied learning

Challenges for innovative work-based learning

• Access: redesigned learning

• Relevance: market conditions and personal development

• Support: assessment, guidance, mentoring

• Benefit: measurable enhanced competence/ ROI

• Structure: complexity, duplication, certification

• Personal: confidence, ownership, multiskilling, adaptability

Waterford Crystal

• Iconic brand

• Largest Irish private employer (to 1995)

• Global market

• Quality focus

• Centre of change

• Boom to crisis

Background

• Founded 1783

• Re-founded 1947 (Bacik and Havel)

• Tradition as leading Irish employer

• Growth years 1950-90

• Reputation: profile, quality, tradition

Focus on production

• No traditional training/education policy

• Response to change limited

• Traditional recruitment

• Job for life - static products

• Crisis and re-focus

Focus on learning

• From employment to employability

• Development of in-company Learning centre (1996)

• From craft to techno-art

• Learning and training policy

• Design and ergonomics

• Developing learner buy-in

Focus on innovation

• Technology and access

• Gender

• Investment and resources

• Social inclusion

• Learning and HR

• Visitor Centre

National initiatives

• Excellence through People (Fás) 1996

• Positive to Disability (NRB) 1997

• National Training Award (IITD) 2000

• Third level linkage and progression

WIT

UCC

NCI

EU Projects

• Crystal Now 1996-98: skills and access for women

• CODE 1999-2000: disability and innovative learning

• New Start 1998-2000: guidance for adult learners

• KTCEP 1996-98: IT support and technology in manufacturing

• Voltaire 1998-2000: on-line training for staff

• Sesame 1999-2001: factory to university progression

• Prospero 1999-2002: Virtual design platforms

Learning: course topics

• Quality• Customer service• Health and safety• Engineering technology• Diversity management• Virtual design• ICT• Communications• Teambuilding• Business awareness

Cascaded learning

• Employers (IBEC, Jobnet Southeast)

• Government (Fás, Enterprise Ireland)

• Community (Ballybeg LDF, FPD, DMEC)

• Academia (UCC, WIT, FHTW Berlin, Koge Business College, Univ. of Applied Science, Vienna)

DETE In-Company Learning Initiative 2003-06

• Funded by In-Company Training Measure of EHRDP and DETE

• Developed out of Waterford Crystal experience and achievements 1995-2002

• Designed to meet immediate and future needs of employees

• Design and delivery of accredited learning responses

Project Focus

• Innovative progression route

• Provision of certification in on-job contexts

• Foster competence and self-confidence

• Provide added value to all stakeholders

• Establish innovative and flexible delivery systems

• Networking for wide range of companies

Employers involved

• Waterford Crystal

• Bausch and Lomb

• Dublin City Council

• Dublin Bus

• Plato South-East

• Honeywell Ireland

Learning Aims

• Raise educational and competence levels of front-line employees

• Enhanced response to change and adaptability• Achievable progression and accreditation

pathways• Develop innovative occupational assessment tools• Develop lifelong learning using advanced

technologies and National Certificates

Project outputs

• National Certificate in Workplace Skills

• National Certificate in Employability

• Occupational Assessment model

• Dedicated e-portfolios

• Dispersed learning centres

• On-line texts, materials and research

• Personalized tutoring supports on-line

• On-line assessment and guidance

Lessons and insights

• Pre-course marketing• Participant profiles and selection• Partner liaison and communication• Learning methodologies• Ownership and demarcated responsibilities• Student support and facilitation• Shift work and personnel release• Role of learning and training in production environments• Challenges around literacy and numeracy• Networking and resources

Summary

• Content, structure, methods

• Value for learners

• Raised expectations

• Defining delivered benefit

• Learning in a time of crisis

• Legacy

Thank you

Dr Alan Bruce

Joe Kelly

ULS

Dublin and Waterford

abruce@ulsystems.com