Launch of ‘Never too late to learn’: The future of lifelong learning

Last week we at Public First were delighted to join the Phoenix Insights ‘Never too late to learn’ report launch . Phoenix Insights commissioned us to help produce a report which focussed on the attitudes, behaviours and barriers to engagement with lifelong learning for midlife and older people, and we now want to share some of the key discussion points and takeaways from the launch event.

The panel discussion, chaired by Bethan Staton - public policy reporter at The Financial Times - discussed the role of qualifications, providers and government and supporting lifelong learning. The panel was made up of:

• Jennifer Coupland - Chief Executive at The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education
• David Hughes - Chief Executive, Association of Colleges
• Patrick Thomson - Head of Research Analysis and Policy, Phoenix Insights

A few things stood out to me.

1.We’re still not agreed on what apprenticeships are really for: Jen Coupland celebrated the fact that 700,000 people are currently in training and half of those are over the age of 25. However, other panellists wondered whether the current apprenticeship system was able to truly deliver skills required looking further into the future. In particular, there were discussions about the role of more informal flexible training – targeted at those in work. Could this gap in skills provision be filled by expanding the apprenticeship levy or through the implementation of other skills-based programmes such as the Lifelong Loan Entitlement or the return of Union Learning reps?

2.Developments in skills provision have to have equity at their heart: David Hughes suggested that with all forms of lifelong learning we should be vigilant about how current and future provision affects equity and equality of access for prospective students. In the Never too late to learn report we found that 41% of higher managerial workers were likely to consider and actually retrain whilst only 4% of semi and unskilled manual workers reported the same. Ensuring that retraining opportunities are open and accessible to all is key to ensuring national targets in areas such as the Green Skills agenda can be accomplished.

3.Employers need to have reasonable assurance that enabling employees to engage in training will provide a good return on investment: In the NTLTL report, we explored the role of employers both in guiding employees to retraining opportunities and also the possibility of co-funding models. However, our polling found that 69% of businesses hadn’t offered their employees training in the last 12 months with 41% of decision-makers saying that their reason for not doing so was that their staff ‘did not need any formal training’. Panellists shared that there had been great focus on ensuring that qualifications were of high quality in recent years - but felt there was still work to be done to reassure individuals and their employers about the return of investment on retraining opportunities.

4.Local Skills Improvement Plans could be “the local glue” which holds the skills system together: The panel discussed their views on the role of local delivery partnerships and how LSIPs could act as “the local glue” to support coordinated delivery between colleges and universities. A social partnership model could utilise LSIPs to bring together government, employers and trade unions to identify local skills needs. However, as David Hughes succinctly put it “the skills agenda is not demand led” – in fact, keeping ahead of demand through effective communication with employers about skills they will need in the future is essential. Some panellists cited the tertiary education system - being introduced in Scotland and Wales - as an example of effective collaboration between colleges and universities.

5.Money is tight, so let’s get the funding system right: Finally, the panel discussed how funding and engagement were becoming increasingly challenging against the backdrop of rising inflation alongside a decrease in college funding - leading to difficulties such as challenges retaining and developing quality staff to support provision. Focusing on how alternative funding mechanisms such as employer co-funding could help support employees to access training may lead to more cost-effective avenues to address skills needs - including emerging areas such as green and tech skills.

The panel demonstrated that developing an effective delivery mechanism and communications story for lifelong learning is essential to addressing national skills needs - particularly in the green and tech skills. Lifelong education should be a priority for whoever is in power if they’re serious about increasing productivity and boosting economic growth in the years to come.