Lifelong Learning and the Role of the Social Partners

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Lifelong Learning andthe Role of the Social
Partners

• Akiko Sakamoto
• Skills and Training Policy Specialist, ILO

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Lifelong learning Concepts

• all types of learning
• takes place throughout ones life
• goals
• improved employability
• active citizenship
• social inclusion
• personal development
• driven by both economic and social concerns

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Implications for education and training system

• Equal, if not greater, emphasis on continuous and
  non-formal skills development
• Increased importance of learning at work
• Quality initial learning, as initial learning
  creates foundation for learning in subsequent
  stages (importance of basic/foundation skills)
• Recognition of all types of learning including
  informally acquired skills and knowledge

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What does lifelong learning imply? (cont.)

• Expansion of learning opportunities to all,
  notably those with no/limited skills and
  education
• Requires innovative and diverse approach to the
  delivery of education and training (e.g.
  self-directed, distance learning, flexible,
  modular- based short training, credit
  accumulation)
• Different ways of thinking, commitment and
  synergies required for developing the skills
  development system

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Increased importance of social partners

• Workplace as a main place for learning
• Enterprises are at the forefront of technology,
  innovation, and competitions
• Social partners witness changing skills demands
• Skilling the workforce is of mutual interest for
  both employers and trade unions (to offset
  declining membership and also as part of their
  work of promoting job security)

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What can social partners do?

• Employers (at the enterprise level)
• Provision of education leave (e.g. France, UK,
  Germany, Italy)
• Delivery of employer-sponsored training
• Financial assistance to employee training
• Sector-based agreement to peg wages to levels of
  qualifications in given occupation
• Appointment of learning facilitators in the
  workplace (UK, S. Africa)
• Give greater autonomy and labour relations that
  promote sharing skills and knowledge, and career
  progressions

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What can employers do? (cont.)

• System level employers involvement
• Active participation in developing skills
  standards, curricula and undertaking
  certification
• Offer work placements for trainees
• Direct management of vocational training
  institutions (e.g. SENAI -Brazil, ICIC -Mexico,
  INACAP -Chile, INFOCAL Bolivia)
• Involvement in governing board of training
  institutions
• Substantial participation in policy making
  regarding training

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What can workers organizations do?

• At the enterprise level
• Ensure equal access to training opportunities
• Ensure certification is impartial and transparent
  (prevent misuse)
• Active agents in enterprise promoting learning
• Organize and offer training services (e.g. basic
  skills training, learning centres, UK)

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What can workers organizations do? (cont.)

• System level workers involvement
• Inclusion of skills dev. in collective agreements
• Active participation of trade union reps. in
  tripartite bodies and policy making regarding
  skills development
• Direct management of vocational training
  institutions (e.g. Construction Training
  Foundation, Argentina)
• Involvement in governing board of training
  institutions
• Research (Inter-union Dept. of Statistics
  --Brazil, Argentina)

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Current situation and challenges

• Sizeable increase in employee participation in
  training (increase from 26 to 41 in Belgium,
  24 to 41 in Netherlands, 25 to 26 in Italy in
  1993-1999)
• Also investment in training by employers still
  depends on size of company, business strategy,
  products
• Sizable success but still challenges for trade
  unions
• Union reps not able to dedicate full time effort
  and required to work outside of normal hours

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Current situation and challenges 2

• but where government and employers support
  exists, then trade unions can have substantial
  impact (e.g. union learning funds, UK)

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Issues for India

• of workforce in formal economy very small (7)
• low coverage by trade unions and employers
  organizations/business associations
• what does that imply for role of government
  vis-à-vis social partners in lifelong learning?
• role of cluster associations (workers or
  employers)
• formal enterprises providing training of informal
  suppliers (as competitiveness strategy)

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Thank you