IMPACT REPORT 2018-2019 INTRODUCTION
Learning and Work Institute wants everyone to have This report shows how we have been both making access to good learning and work opportunities to the case for learning and making a difference. This benefit individuals, communities, employers and includes celebrating the best in adult learning society. through Festival of Learning and Adult Learners’ Week; testing new ways to engage adults in learning; We have some of the best education institutions evaluating employment programmes to show what in the world, but participation in lifelong learning works; and building a network to share best practice is falling and unequal. Employment is at a record in helping adults in low paid work to build their high, but there remain stark gaps in employment careers. opportunity across the country and more to do to improve the quality of work. Many of our businesses The future remains uncertain, bringing challenges but lead their fields, but overall productivity is lower than also opportunities. We are proud of the impact we in many comparator countries. have had and look forward to continuing our work in the year ahead. Better access to learning and work can help tackle each of these challenges and is becoming more Maggie Galliers and Stephen Evans important as an aging population, longer working lives and changing economy combine. We also know that learning can improve health, wellbeing, active citizenship and community cohesion.
2 OUR MISSION
Our vision is for a prosperous and fair society in which learning and work provide opportunities for everyone to realise their potential and ambitions throughout life.
The UK has many strengths, but also shortfalls on too many measures of learning and work compared to other countries.
We want to change this: making the case for investment; celebrating the best in learning; helping to improve policy; and testing new approaches to delivering services.
3 3 9 million u ber o adults
Lowest proportion o adults taking part have low literacy or nu eracy in learning since our survey affecting their ability to find work began 20 years ago and access public services
Percentage points employment rate gap between million u ber o people in disabled non-disabled people
LOW paid work UK ranking on inter ediate skills out o 36 OECD countries
4 Our work is focused on six themes: lifelong learning; employment and social MAKING A DIFFERENCE security; essential and life skills; pay, progression and security; apprenticeships and technical education; social justice and inclusion. During 2018/19 our work included:
Membership of Skills for Londoners Taskforce London Greater Manchester Employment and Welsh Assembly Economy, Skills Advisory Panel Greater Manchester Infrastructure and Skills West Yorkshire Combined Authority Committee evidence-giving on Future Skills Leeds the role and purpose of Regional Skills Partnerships Cardiff Speaking at events at Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat conferences Brighton, Birmingham and Liverpool
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spikesspikes around around outh outh pprenticeship pprenticeship i e i e for for pportunit pportunit essa essa collection collection ction, ction, nde nde launchlaunch skills skills a arda ard inners inners the ost the ost ie ed ie ed reportreport 6 SHAPING POLICY 3 9 million 2030 SKILLS VISION u ber o adults Our Time for Action report showed improvements in skills have stalled, meaning the UK is poised to fall further down the international league tables by 2030.
We argued a ten-year plan could reverse this declineLowest proportionand give ouro adults taking part have low literacy or nu eracy economy a £20 billion per year boost. We launchedin learning the report since our at surveyan event affecting their ability to find work with Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP. began 20 years ago and access public services
This skills problem is a social justice issue. Our most disadvantagedPercentage points employment rate individuals pay the highest price for low skills but also have thegap most between million to gain from up-skilling their way out of deprivation. I am very grateful u ber o people in to Learning and Work Institute for their longstanding commitment to disabled non-disabled people achieve social justice through education
Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP LOW paid work UK ranking on inter ediate skills out o 36 OECD countries
7 EMPLOYMENT AND SKILLS CONVENTIONS
We held events in Wales, Scotland and England, bringing together hundreds of people to debate policy with leading politicians and share best practice in helping people improve their employment and skills prospects.
Employment and Skills Convention 2018, London
8
APPRENTICESHIPS LIFELONG LEARNING
Apprenticeships can be great way for people Our survey showed the proportion of adults taking to combine learning and earning. However, part in learning at its lowest on record. We published our research has highlighted concerns over 20 years of data showing trends over time and how quality and fair access. We brought together access to learning varies by region and nation, age, ideas about where next for apprenticeships, socioeconomic group and more. This was featured in launching a collection of essays from leading the Times Education Supplement (TES) and is helping thinkers at an event in Parliament with MPs, to inform the Government’s approach to its National policymakers, apprentices and stakeholders. Retraining Scheme, including highlighting the importance of inspiring adults to want to take part in learning. 3 3 9 million9 million u ber o adults u ber o adults 3 9 million u ber o adults have low literacy or nu eracy Lowest proportion o adults Lowesttaking part proportion o adults taking part have low literacy or nu eracy in learning since our survey in learning since our survey affecting their ability to find workaffecting their ability to find work began 20 years ago began 20 years ago and access public services and access public services
Lowest proportion o adults taking part have low literacy or nu eracy in learning since our survey affecting their ability to find work Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP, Skills Vision 2030 event 9 began 20 years ago and access public services
Percentage points Percentage points employment rate employment rate gap between million gap between million u ber o people in u ber o people in disabled non-disabled people disabled non-disabledPercentage people points employment rate gap between million LOW LOW u ber o people in paid work disabled non-disabled people paid work UK ranking on inter ediate skillsUK ranking on inter ediate skills out o 36 OECD countries out o 36 OECD countries LOW paid work UK ranking on inter ediate skills out o 36 OECD countries
CONSULTATIONS AND LOCAL LEADERSHIP
EVENTS Local and mayoral combined authorities play an increasing role in employment and skills. Our chief We submitted responses to government executive was a member of the Skills for Londoners consultations and reviews, including the Taskforce, Greater Manchester Employment and post-18 review of education funding. We Skills Advisory Panel and West Yorkshire Combined were pleased the review agreed there Authority Future Skills Taskforce, helping to shape their should be greater funding for adults. approaches to lifelong learning and employment. Our chief executive gave evidence to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee on the economics of further and higher education and spoke at events at the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat party conferences. He was also a member of the Liberal Democrat Lifelong Learning Commission. This Greater Manchester supported our calls for adults to have a Employment and Skills Advisory Panel West Yorkshire Combined Personal Learning Account, now adopted Authority Future Skills as Liberal Democrat policy. Taskforce
Skills for Londoners Taskforce
10 INSPIRING ADULTS TO LEARN
Festival of Learning in England and Adult Learners’ Week in The Festival of Learning Wales have celebrated the best in adult learning and inspired awards ceremony was attended by people to learn for more than a quarter of a century. Replicated guests around the world, they celebrate people’s achievements 120 through learning and inspire more adults to learn. with an additional
We worked with organisations, including Adult Learning views Wales, AELP, Association of Colleges, City Lit, Colleges Wales, 900 Education and Training Foundation, HOLEX, Hotcourses Ltd, NOCN, Open University in Wales, the WEA and Working Wales. Our hashtag #folawards achieved 1.7million impressions
Award winner stories received widespread press and media coverage, including in the Evening award winners across Standard and Daily Mail and England and Wales. interviews on BBC Radio 2 and 4.
NEWS NEWS
11 Around 130 guests attended our Festival of 1000s Learning parliamentary reception, sponsored by Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP. Speakers included Minister for Skills and Apprenticeships Rt Hon Anne Milton MP and Rt
of adults inspired Hon Gordon Marsden MP t a e a at learn n r tr learn n s et n ne n re t an