| "Why are we here?" | | | | the performance of their staff, developing their skills |
| "To discuss education." | | | | and preparing individuals for future roles and |
| "Who wants to talk about that? Everything has | | | | responsibilities. With a lack of central co-ordination, |
| already been said." | | | | this unfortunately results in huge differentiation in the |
| "Very little has happened." | | | | quality of 'local' training and no synergy within the |
| "So why are you here?" | | | | company. Hence it would be difficult to see how this |
| "To discuss the waste of children's lives. Every child | | | | organisation, which consists of approximately 30 |
| grows up in school. He spends 10 to 20 years in that | | | | different companies worldwide, (some of whom have |
| environment. He is there when he is most open to | | | | Investors in People status and others who do not) |
| new experience and least burdened by the practical | | | | could become engaged with Government sponsorship |
| responsibilities of existence. And the results are very | | | | without a more centralised, co-ordinated approach. |
| meager. Something is wrong with the whole | | | | To its credit, the Bank does offer employees a vast |
| operation." | | | | range of training support schemes, both internally and |
| "That's easy enough to say. What would you | | | | in support of external qualifications such as MBA's and |
| change?" | | | | degrees, but this is on the premise that individuals |
| "I would emphasis education for growth rather than | | | | take responsibility for their own development and |
| for knowledge." (Mann 1972). | | | | apply for the schemes that are available. The mantra |
| From the moment we come into this world and take | | | | 'if it's to be it's up to me' applies to the upskilling of |
| our first breath, learning is instinctive. As we grow, | | | | the workforce in this organisation. |
| the world around us unfolds and new experiences | | | | Large companies like the Royal Bank of Scotland |
| ranging from intrigue and excitement, disappointment | | | | have no real incentive to further the education of |
| and fear, wet our appetites and feed our desire for | | | | their employees; by paying well they will always get |
| more learning. As we grow older, life delivers a | | | | the best candidates available in the market place and |
| remarkable variety of complications and challenges | | | | the competition for progress within the company will |
| and places us in environments over which we have | | | | ensure that the individual takes responsibility for their |
| little or no control. It is partly the way in which we | | | | own development. |
| fail; cope; conquer; or progress and learn that shapes | | | | More is certainly asked of us now than ever before, |
| our development. The society in which we live and | | | | with targets to achieve, efficiency measures, tight |
| the support we have available through our network | | | | deadlines, high reported levels of stress, longer |
| of parental; family; peers; teachers; and mentors also | | | | working hours and understaffing. As employers |
| facilitates our growth. Life long learning in a learning | | | | relentlessly seek to outperform their competitors and |
| society is an aspiration which, as we will see later, is | | | | drive short term results, they appear to have put |
| sadly not available to all, but those who grasp it, | | | | aside the investment in training and placed the onus |
| regardless of the constraints in which they live, win | | | | on the individual to develop themselves in their own |
| the opportunity to reach their full potential. | | | | time. I would argue that this complacency has filtered |
| "Does some reader say, why should you touch this | | | | through to large numbers of employees, who have |
| incident? And I answer, I have a library now of about | | | | not sought to develop themselves, often using the |
| three thousand volumes...; but in that first purchase | | | | excuse of not having sufficient time to do so. Could |
| lay the spark of a fire which has not yet gone down | | | | the distractions of multi-media, internet, game |
| to the white ashes, the passion which grew with my | | | | consol's and addictive, repetitive, non-educational |
| growth, to read all the books in the early years I | | | | television be to blame? Has the welfare state |
| could lay my hands on, and in this wise prepare me in | | | | encouraged people not to strive for an education as |
| some fashion for the work I must do in the ministry.... | | | | they know that they will be looked after even if |
| I see myself in the far away time and cottage | | | | unemployable? |
| reading, as I may truly say in my case, for dear life. | | | | "If there is learning, there is also non-learning. People |
| (Robert Collyer b.1823) | | | | often fail to learn, or actively resist learning.... Consider |
| Rose (2001) is seeking to demonstrate that the | | | | the smokers... If there is education, there is also |
| power of reading at such an early age sustained | | | | mis-education." (Foley, 2004). |
| Robert Collyer through his childhood, into his working | | | | To gain more buy in from UK employers and |
| years as a minister and the hunger remained in | | | | employees, perhaps the Government should |
| retirement. The catalyst? Simply the moment when, | | | | reconsider leaving the question of lifelong learning and |
| as a child labourer in a linen factory, he chose to pick | | | | training in the workplace to the sole discretion and |
| up his first book, 'The History of Whittington and his | | | | complacency of employers. In this respect, they |
| Cat'. This would suggest a strong argument to place | | | | could take a leaf out of the book of the French |
| the responsibility for lifelong learning in the hands of | | | | government, who operate two tax exemption |
| the individual, regardless of their circumstances. | | | | schemes; the apprenticeship tax (0.5% of payroll) for |
| However, an opposite view is eloquently put by Paulo | | | | initial training and the training tax (1.5% of payroll |
| Freire, a Brazilian educator and political philosopher, | | | | among enterprises having ten or more employees, |
| who was born into poverty. | | | | 0.15% among those having less), used primarily to |
| "I didn't understand anything because of my hunger. I | | | | finance lifelong learning of enterprise staff. The focus |
| wasn't dumb. It wasn't lack of interest. My social | | | | has shifted from general education and cultural |
| condition didn't allow me to have an education. | | | | development of staff towards continuous education |
| Experience showed me once again the relationship | | | | and training for employment. All companies benefit in |
| between social class and knowledge." | | | | proportion to the number of employees they have. |
| The twentieth Century has heard many debates | | | | The scheme has led to increased training |
| calling for education to be freely accessible to all | | | | expenditures that surpass the total amount of taxes |
| citizens as an integral lifelong process. (Yeaxlee, 1920, | | | | paid by enterprises. |
| 25). As we will discuss later, however, the issue of | | | | The third point regarding the need for competition to |
| class status can have a significant impact on the | | | | make providers efficient and responsive, by it's own |
| individual's opportunity to reach their full potential. | | | | inference, directs educational establishments towards |
| Field (2000), identifies that the debates concerning | | | | being seen as successful educational providers. This |
| lifelong learning took on a global perspective when | | | | perception can easily be manipulated by selecting only |
| educational representatives of the inter governmental | | | | those candidates with the potential and motivation to |
| bodies of the United Nations Educational, Social and | | | | succeed. Thus we have a legacy of schools expelling |
| Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Organisation | | | | poor performing students to avoid an adverse effect |
| for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) | | | | on their league table results and Grammar schools |
| commissioned Edgar Faure, the former French Prime | | | | and Universities operating strict selection criteria that |
| Minister to produce a report entitled 'Learning to be' | | | | 'guarantees' their success, often leaving Further |
| in 1972. This was the start of transformational | | | | Education to pick up the pieces. All the time league |
| reform in education in many European countries. The | | | | tables measure knowledge attainment rather than |
| report highlighted that education should be structured | | | | learning growth, this element of elitism in education is |
| in such a way that it is made easily available for all | | | | creating the legacy of widening the gap between the |
| individuals, for their whole life and that this would | | | | learning have's and the learning have not's, |
| mean addressing social concerns of health, culture, | | | | The point is argued more strongly by Paulo Friere |
| environmental considerations and inclusion. | | | | whose Pedagogy of the Oppressed is currently one |
| At the beginning of this essay, two educational issues | | | | of the most quoted educational texts (especially in |
| were contrasted. The quest for knowledge, or the | | | | Latin America, Africa and Asia). |
| stimulation of growth? However, over the last thirty | | | | Submerged in reality, the oppressed cannot perceive |
| years a third element has crept in and clouded the | | | | clearly the order which serves the interest of the |
| direction and conclusions that our first two speakers | | | | oppressors whose image they have internalized. |
| may have followed. The impact of competition. The | | | | Chafing under the restrictions of this order, they |
| OECD began to influence a view that education | | | | often manifest a type of horizontal violence, striking |
| should be tailored in terms of human capital, linking | | | | out at their comrades for the pettiest of reasons; |
| the need for governments to invest in life long | | | | the oppressed feel an irresistible attraction toward |
| education with the output being the creation of a | | | | the oppressor and his way of life. Sharing this way of |
| workforce, sufficiently skilled to deliver economic | | | | life becomes an overpowering aspiration. In their |
| prosperity. If the economy prospers, so will the | | | | alienation, the oppressed want at any cost to |
| individual. | | | | resemble the oppressor, to imitate him, to follow him. |
| The European Commissions white paper on education | | | | This phenomena is especially prevalent in the middle |
| in 1994, highlighted the threats and opportunities of | | | | class oppressed, who yearn to be equal to the |
| globalization, rapid and unprecedented development in | | | | eminent men of the upper class. Self-depreciation is |
| information technology and science and the increasing | | | | another characteristic of the oppressed, which |
| role of Japan, U.S.A. and China in the world economy. | | | | derives from their internalization of the opinion the |
| "Preparation for life in tomorrow's world cannot be | | | | oppressors hold of them. So often they hear that |
| satisfied by once-and-for-all acquisition of knowledge | | | | they are good for nothing, know nothing and are |
| and know-how..... All measures must therefore | | | | incapable of learning anything that they are sick, lazy |
| necessarily be based on the concept of developing, | | | | and unproductive, that in the end they become |
| generalizing and systematizing lifelong learning and | | | | convinced of their own unfitness." |
| continuing training" (CEC 1994, p16, 136) | | | | This opens the question as to whether the class |
| Another white paper produced by the Commission of | | | | societies in which we live have been founded as a |
| The European Communities identifies that | | | | form of eco-system, whereby those at the top of |
| internationalization of trade and information | | | | the food chain, ie the upper class and some elements |
| technology will have major consequences for the | | | | of the middle classes, can only exist comfortably as |
| skills needed in the global economy. The future and | | | | long as there are lower classes to serve their needs. |
| competitiveness of individual countries and indeed, | | | | Someone needs to be there to collect the rubbish |
| collectives such as Europe, will become increasingly | | | | and deliver the harvest. Disney eloquently |
| uncertain if they are unable to upskill the population. | | | | demonstrated this type of society in the film 'Bugs |
| "Europe is faced with a situation in which its success | | | | Life'. Williamson (1998) quotes Salman Rushdie in this |
| in terms of economic growth is not matched by an | | | | respect: |
| equal capacity to create jobs" (EC 1996 p5). | | | | "Those who do not have the power of the story |
| Lifelong learning is seen as the answer to the | | | | that dominates their lives - power to retell it, rethink |
| problem. Programmes such as Leonardo da Vinci, | | | | it, deconstruct it, joke about it, and change it as |
| Socrates and Erasmus are designed to deliver | | | | times change - truly are powerless because they |
| inclusive educational policies and create opportunities | | | | cannot think new thoughts" |
| for all areas of society to embark on the learning | | | | Freire puts it in his own omniscient style: |
| journey. | | | | "There is another fundamental dimension on the |
| The UK Government white paper on Further | | | | theory of oppressive action, which is as old as |
| Education, published in March 2006, accepted the | | | | oppression itself. As the oppressor minority |
| main recommendation from the Foster report 'to help | | | | subordinates and dominates the majority, it must also |
| gain the skills and qualifications for employability'. It | | | | divide it and keep it divided in order to remain in |
| also stated, however, that 'this strong focus on | | | | power. The minority cannot permit itself the luxury |
| economic impact does not come at the expense of | | | | of tolerating the unification of the people, which |
| social inclusion and equality of opportunity - the two | | | | would undoubtedly signify a serious threat to their |
| reinforce one another'. | | | | own hegemony. Accordingly the oppressors halt any |
| Coffield (2007) holds the view that Further Education | | | | method (including violence) any action, which in even |
| in the UK has been driven to deliver only the former, | | | | incipient fashion could awaken the oppressed to the |
| to the cost of the latter. In his article 'Are we on the | | | | need for unity. Concepts such as unity, organisation, |
| right Road?', Coffield highlights the positive | | | | and struggle are immediately labelled as dangerous to |
| improvements to education under the labour | | | | the oppressors for their realisation is necessary to |
| government, but then goes on to challenge the | | | | actions of liberation." |
| short-termism of their policies and the precarious | | | | Today this is a global issue and surprisingly little has |
| journey the UK is currently taking which, without a | | | | changed in peoples attitudes since the 18th Century |
| change of culture, has only a slim chance of success. | | | | which saw many examples of the unease felt by the |
| Certainly the current UK government has done more | | | | educational middle classes, who according to Rose |
| than any other in terms of placing education higher in | | | | (2001) 'found something profoundly menacing in the |
| the agenda, by virtually doubling funding to the | | | | efforts of working people to educate themselves |
| Learning Skills Council from £5.5 Billion in | | | | and write for themselves'. How true this remains in |
| 2001-02 to £11.4 Billion 2007-08. This has | | | | many countries in the world today and indeed, one |
| engendered a diverse and flexible education system, | | | | could argue, in the very fabric of our current state |
| responsive to educational needs and demands, | | | | education system. Do we really cater for all and do all |
| allowing local innovation and second chances for the | | | | we can to widen participation and include the lower |
| disaffected, with significant provision in FE from level | | | | classes? Class culture is still a feature in British society |
| 1 to 3. There are a number of excellent partnership | | | | as well as on a world-wide scale, creating inequality, |
| programmes with employers and a network of | | | | eroding self confidence, holding people back and |
| Sector Skills Councils which meet the majority of | | | | depressing the further development of society. |
| employers' current and future needs. There are | | | | Returning to Friere, however, he identifies that within |
| reported high levels of satisfaction amongst student | | | | each person lies an instinctive hunger and desire to |
| faculties and there is good career mobility. There is | | | | better themselves and it is this overriding factor that |
| also a marked improvement in the provision and use | | | | links the issue of lifelong learning back to every |
| of adult and community education, helping to increase | | | | learner and keeps the debate alive. To those that |
| social cohesion. Fundamentally there is a wealth of | | | | overcome all the obstacles, the world can become |
| knowledge, enthusiasm, passion and desire in the | | | | their oyster. Employment can certainly be one |
| teaching profession which has delivered all of the | | | | motivating factor to get people to make the most |
| above. | | | | of educational opportunities, particularly those who |
| On the downside, however, there are real concerns | | | | are open to exploring future prospects and gaining |
| being voiced from many quarters that the UK | | | | new skills and qualifications that will enhance their |
| educational policies are underwritten by one sole | | | | lifestyle, self worth and identity. Coare and |
| overriding objective that, in order to maintain our | | | | Thompson (1996) have collated a series of diaries |
| competitiveness and prosperity in the world | | | | from learners which explain that: |
| economy, the population must be 'given the skills and | | | | "a tentative first try at adult education has |
| qualifications for employability'. The UK is performing | | | | awakened a hunger for learning which may be fired |
| badly in compulsory education, ranking 24th out of 28 | | | | by the thrill of mental and physical stimulation and |
| OECD Countries, with a participation of 76% of 17 | | | | new skills, or by the companionship and pleasure of |
| year olds and 23,000 children leaving school in 2006 | | | | learning as a group." |
| without a single GCSE. With the emphasis on the | | | | Lifelong learning, however, is not just limited to the |
| need for employable qualifications and schools being | | | | world of schools, colleges, universities and the |
| league tabled to deliver, systems of testing | | | | workplace. It goes much deeper and broader into the |
| knowledge and performance goals, rather than | | | | fabric of society. |
| learning growth in schools, are leading to lower levels | | | | "One of the strongest themes to emerge from the |
| of self esteem and reducing levels of effort by the | | | | diaries is that lifelong learning requires a deep routed |
| less successful students (Black et al 2002). At | | | | learning culture - embedded in institutions and |
| present 56% of 16 year olds are leaving school with | | | | workplaces, in homes and communities and in our |
| 5 good GCSE's. That means that 44% are leaving | | | | hearts and minds - which will support people to |
| falling short of the recognised benchmark that has | | | | overcome the obstacles preventing access to, or |
| been established to reach the minimum standard | | | | participation in, adult education." |
| necessary for employability, or indeed further | | | | Coare and Thompson include the story of Sue |
| hierarchal learning in Higher Education. However, a | | | | Townsend, who encapsulates my generation when |
| good plumber does not have to know algebra or the | | | | she paints a picture of a 15 year old who couldn't |
| works of Shakespeare, so one could argue that the | | | | wait to leave school and become a sophisticated |
| percentage leaving with 5 good GCSE's has little | | | | adult with huge dreams of living a comfortable, |
| relevance to the standards of employability except | | | | fulfilling life. Then hitting the ground of reality with the |
| for those entering white collar employment. We don't | | | | legacy of no qualifications; a resultant low paid job; an |
| need all our dustmen to have 5 GCSE's. If they did, | | | | attempt to make up for lost time with night school; |
| perhaps they would be doing something else. | | | | abandoned when falling in love and later in life feeling |
| Education only fails when an individual is cleaning a | | | | the pull of further/higher education: |
| toilet, who has the capacity to be a rocket scientist. | | | | "I sometimes think that learning is wasted on the |
| Coffield reports that: | | | | young. They are contained in these places called |
| "Educational policy continues to be based on three | | | | schools at exactly the wrong time. Their bodies and |
| underlying and damaging assumptions: first, that 'our | | | | minds are too fidgety to concentrate on things like |
| future depends on our skills (Foster); second, that in | | | | demography of Bolivia. It's adults who benefit most |
| all matters concerning vocational education and the | | | | from education.... We actually enjoy the learning. We |
| skills strategy it is appropriate 'to put employers in | | | | are motivated. I know many people whose lives have |
| the driving seat'; and third, that market competition is | | | | been completely changed since they became an adult |
| essential to make providers efficient and responsive. | | | | learner. From those who have learnt basic literacy |
| All three of these assumptions have been roundly | | | | skills, to others who have taken degree courses. Its |
| criticised for almost 30 years, but they continue to | | | | an extremely harsh world out there. Jobs are going, |
| appear" | | | | more computers are coming. But the people who are |
| Looking at these three issues in turn, in 2005, Tony | | | | studying Cantonese at night school are, I would say, |
| Blair claimed 'A Country such as Britain in the 21st | | | | in with a chance." |
| Century will succeed or fail by how it develops its | | | | The issue of lifelong learning dominates discussion and |
| human capital'. But this rather short sighted, one | | | | debate concerning the foundation and direction of |
| dimensional, liberalist view is driving education more | | | | continuous education from the cradle to the grave. |
| down the road of exclusion, rather than inclusion, | | | | What's needed is a solid partnership between citizens, |
| because it has the effect of measuring the validity | | | | teachers, employers and government bodies, |
| and success of education only by its results. The | | | | nationally and globally for all parties to be fully |
| increasing emphasis on delivery is causing pressures | | | | engaged in and take ownership of educational |
| that are having a detrimental effect on the overall | | | | opportunities that further the development of |
| education system, which is evidenced by our standing | | | | growth first, knowledge second, put aside the |
| in the OECD community. Even where the output is | | | | obstacles of class and harness the benefits of |
| good, graduates in recent years have faced | | | | competition. |
| increasing competition from well educated and | | | | The challenge facing education today is arguably not |
| professionally trained graduates from countries such | | | | too dis-similar to the challenges faced by the UK |
| as China, India and as recent as Poland and are falling | | | | National health service - the more investment, effort |
| short of the standards they have attained. Coffield is | | | | and advance that is made, the quicker the speed of |
| scathing in his assessment of the treatment of | | | | intellectualisation, development, global demand and |
| teachers and the teaching profession, but perhaps | | | | human need. Thus the dichotomy in the question - is |
| the change of view from Tony Blair 'We will ensure | | | | the learning gap closing or widening? Williamson (1998) |
| that the workforce can implement what they are | | | | quotes Richard Hoggart who noted that we now live |
| asked to do', to the view expressed by Gordon | | | | in a society: |
| Brown, 'To build trust, we must also listen more, hear | | | | "whose members are insufficiently educated for its |
| more and learn more', will result in more engagement | | | | complexities, educated only to the level at which |
| of the teaching profession and more teacher and | | | | they may be exploited" |
| student led improvements in UK education over the | | | | However, the demand and desire of humanity for |
| coming months. | | | | humanisation and the thirst for knowledge and |
| On the second issue of workplace learning and the | | | | growth, keeps the educational debate alive and it is |
| role of employers, The Times Educational Supplement | | | | through this debate that people develop new views |
| recently reported that 'Employers have failed to back | | | | and learn more about themselves in the world. The |
| the Governments drive for a better skilled | | | | more we know, the more we realise we don't know |
| workforce'. Employers have demonstrated that they | | | | and the greater our desire to grow. So much can be |
| do not want the responsibility by failing, in the main, | | | | done to stimulate and widen peoples desire to learn |
| to train their workers. Perhaps this is because there is | | | | and grow and break down the barriers that exclude |
| a greater demand at present for unskilled labour and | | | | people from learning. However, as Williamson (1998) |
| employers in the UK now have the luxury of the | | | | puts it, closing the gap between the learning rich and |
| overseas graduate market to pick and choose the | | | | the learning poor will need to: |
| best candidates. Furthermore, a survey of adult | | | | "Lead to fundamental changes in the organisation of |
| education participation produced in May 2007 by | | | | society itself and its structures of inequality and |
| Niace, the national organisation for adult learning, | | | | power. New opportunities for learning presuppose a |
| reports: | | | | new kind of society to sustain them and the political |
| "With 500,000 fewer adults in study now, compared | | | | will to open them up. The challenge for political |
| with a year ago, the survey suggests the Train to | | | | leaders is to have the courage to work for these |
| Gain scheme, which compensates employers for | | | | ends, knowing beforehand that they cannot |
| money spent improving the basic skills of the | | | | predetermine what use people will make of their new |
| workforce, is missing the mark." | | | | found knowledge and ideas." |
| Looking at one of the UK's largest business | | | | This represents an exciting thought for those who |
| operations, The Royal Bank of Scotland Group, there | | | | may feel stifled and "oppressed", ie. all of us ants, but |
| is no overall corporate strategy to support the | | | | perhaps too scary a journey for the grasshoppers in |
| Governments initiatives, whether they fall under the | | | | power to take. What is very exciting about lifelong |
| guise of Train to Gain, Skills for Life or the 14-19 | | | | learning, however, is that somewhere in the world |
| agenda. There is no work taking place at present to | | | | right now, a youngster is about to pick up their first |
| look at supporting the Business and Finance Diplomas | | | | book and young minded 85 year old is about to log |
| due to be launched in 2008. Internally, training is left | | | | on to a PC for the first time in their life. |
| to local managers who are responsible for improving | | | | |