Employer engagement in Work Based Learning

[Mark Power]

Hello all

I've heard a several times, from projects, that they are experiencing difficulties when it comes to employer engagement in the work they're doing around WBL. I just wondered...

...in what way? Is it a technology issue - equipment, access, etc? Or is it more of an organisational thing?

I also realise that this place has been very quiet for quite some time now so am going to start doing a bit more with it from now on. I'd hit the point where I was feeling that even though I was trying to seed it, it was still lacking engagement. So...back to seeding it but this time I have some clear directions in which I'd like to take things, based on technology issues that I'm currently interested in more and more.

One is admissions and progression and I'll soon post something on what a few of the JISC projects have been working on under the Cross Institutional Support for Lifelong Learning programme (although they may have finally shortened that title! ;) - all based on Open Source software too.

The other is mobile technology as I think this has such a big role to play in distance/online/work based learning. I've also started to realise just how big virtual worlds could get at some point. I've never been grabbed by the Second Life thing, not my cuppa. However, my eldest 2 sons: Jacob, 9 and Damon, 7, are already immersed in these places. First was Disney's Club Penguin, there have been splashes in other things but now we have a new, longer term player in Runescape. It won't be long before they're both moving through 'big school', with the technology getting better and faster...The Web is simply a part of their life, they look at like they do the TV, Playstation and far too many other things. But for now I only have time to focus on a few things...so I'll just keep one eye on it.

[Jackie Powell]

In our LLN the issues with employer enagement are all to do with effective networking, with issues such as:
(1) how we make the approach - where our partner organisations already have links with certain employers we are conscious of not 'stepping on toes'. We would also not want to annoy the employers by making yet another approach about an educational issue if partners are already doing this
(2) finding out what employers need and what we are offering them, since engagement must work two ways if it is to be successful. Some of our employers have been clear about how we can help them, others less so. However some don't really want to engage at all - often the SMEs we would like to target.
(3) Bearing in mind how busy they are, how to have maximum impact in the minimum time, ideally getting like-minded employers together as a group.

We have had some success. We held an 'Employer's Forum' meeting which was better attended than we had expected. Breakfast meetings have been held by some partners and work quite well. We have also asked the LSC to act as a meeting broker for employers who are major training providers and this has also worked for us. progress is still slow though, particularly in obtaining any commitment to higher level skills training, and I don't think the recession will help ....

[Mark Power]

Thanks Jackie

Regarding point 2); Sounds one of these 'easier said than done' things when it comes to finding out what people want and what they're being offered. What tend to be the replies from the ones that have been clear about that? Any pattern emerging? Also, what's stopping the SMEs? That's what I mean about the technology...

Does that play a role or do you not even get as far as that process? Either way - repeating something I expressed to a colleague earlier - the trick (in all this, whether it be institutions or businesses) is, I guess, to chip away and hope that you can show the benefits available through the use of technology...and that as those benefits become more obvious and enticing, engagement will increase. Over-simplified somewhat I'm sure but hopefully you know where I'm coming from.

So I guess that leads me to yet another question...are the benefits becoming more obvious and enticing, easier to highlight?

[Jackie Powell]

In conversation with them it's clear that some employers don't know quite what it is they want, though may they think they do - there's quite a gap in their knowledge of what's possible and how they can access it. Sometimes what stops them moving forward is lack of time and/ or funds, but often there just isn't an imperative or incentive from their point of view. You're right, we haven't got as far as discussing details, and I agree with you about trying to demonstrate the benefits. I don't think they are obvious. If anyone has produced or knows of an effective way of doing this here it would be useful to know about it.

[Mark Power]

Sounds like dealing with institutional staff too - same issues, different people.

What are the relationships between the LLNs like, Jackie? I know you have your own forum on the website but when I've looked in the past activity has been sparse (he says, trying to get this place moving!!)...Is there much link-up and sharing amongst the LLNs?

[Kirstie]

There are some joint projects going on within our LLN.
Personally, I think the more LLNs can share practice and so on, the better. After all, it's the learners who benefit ultimately.

[Kirstie]

I would guess that there has to be some sort of bottom line benefit, and getting that message across clearly is important. The long term/big picture benefits are not always of direct interest depending on who you speak to, the culture of the organisation and how far they recognise and value learning would be a large factor.

[Pete Obee]

At a JISC project meeting back in October I heard a lot of people with problem with employer engagement. That evening, I drove to Exeter to attend a meeting about a project running with one of our WBL courses. Was amazed to find that 30 people (employers, students, academics) had given up a Monday evening to chat for a couple of hours about the course for next year.
The employers (from different companies) could not have been more interested or engaged, and by the end of the session were discussing how they could deliver some of the sessions to help with CPD.

I'd love to be able to say why with confidence why this WBL scheme is working so well, but can't (though maybe if we get some funding to extend the work in the next round of JISC bids, I'll be able to investigate more closely!). I have my ideas however. The genuine enthusiasm and interest in the project from the academics on the university side - it's not a simply an 'another stream of revenue', but something they are actively involved in. Technology is key to the project, but it's all about the delivery of material and not the technology used- no techies of any stripe are involved, and no software is being developed. The benefits of the project are immediately obvious and tangible to all involved.

Essentially, the engagement of the employers with the project comes from being able to understand both the project and its benefit for them, as well as the reassurance that the university are as committed to their students as the employers are to their staff. In my opinion!