RPL and Older Adults: A case study analysis Graham Smith & Alice Morton Centre for Lifelong Learning University of Strathclyde

Centre for Lifelong Learning Located in the City Centre of Glasgow, the Senior Studies Institute, University of Strathclyde was formalised in 1991 as a European centre of excellence for lifelong learning for people over 50. Today, located within the Centre for Lifelong Learning, the Institute has 4 Key areas: 1.Learning in Later Life 2.Useful Learning 3.Widening Access 4.Employability

50+ Employability 1.Extensive experience and understanding of the diverse range of issues facing adults in later life. 2.Widely respected across Scotland, the UK, Europe and North America in relation to lifelong learning. 3.Sound knowledge of age management and the associated business impact of an ageing workforce.

Transitions in later life  A range of factors influence capacity for working in later life  Capacity to deal with change and uncertainty varies significantly from person to person Phillipson, 2002

Encouraging lifelong learning  One of the greatest predictors of participation in learning at a later stage in life is the amount of initial education.  Older adults less likely to participate in lifelong learning activity, particularly those with poor educational backgrounds.  Even less likely to work towards formal qualifications.

Realising Your Potential project Key objectives of the project are to assist older workers aged 50+ to: 1.Re-engage with learning 2.Update their existing skills and develop new skills 3.Assess current work ability and explore work potential 4.Enhance their future employability 5.Consider working longer and/or postpone retirement

Double Loop learning model Stage 2 Build confidence and motivation for learning. Develop skills such as communication, team working and Information Technology Stage 3 Explore new interests Stage 4 Evaluate current workability Stage 1 Reflect on prior learning experiences Stage 5 Progress onto new learning opportunities Based on Argyris & Schön, 1978

Emerging issues  Appropriate advice and guidance provision for older adults  Influencing Scottish Government policy on Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG), taking into account the differing needs of older adults  Increasing number of older adults “encouraged” to consider early retirement/redundancy  Individual capacity for dealing with change (transitions) beyond the age of 50 challenging  Potential value of recognition of prior learning

Initial findings N=91  57% have no formal qualifications  95% of public sector group left school and entered employment without any formal qualifications  61% extremely likely or likely to be working beyond SRA with a further 31% unsure  Advice and guidance: 84% unaware of Skills Development Scotland – 63% unlikely to access their services with 26% unsure  Only 39% have experienced on-line learning, with majority commenting that this is not their preferred way of learning  Areas of interest include career change or new job, learning and skills development, business start-up and volunteering

SCQF Partnership RPL Network Event 18th November 2010 Recognition of Prior Learning and Realising Your Potential Recognition of Prior Learning and Realising Your Potential Centre for Lifelong Learning

50+ Employability – Realising Your Potential  An extrapolation of similarities between Realising Your Potential and Recognition of Prior Learning  Skills - centre stage for older workers - analysing and profiling tools  Demystifying the SCQF framework for older learners

Characteristics Learning potential of 50+  Interested in learning and personal development  May envisage barriers to learning  Working life may have been for the most part in the same job  Interested in education to plan employability/retirement  Employment awareness  Planning for change/ career  Open to volunteering and local opportunities Characteristics Learner’s potential Interested in re-entering learning Contribute towards a programme of learning People who have been out of education Adults returning to education Wanting to re-train or change careers Volunteering, community activities/projects Learning Employment Qualifications Career Pathways Similar Characteristics

Experience and Processing Learning (adult learner/learning contexts) Skills profiling Reflection Work Family Community, voluntary, hobbies and interests (unstructured learning) Key experiences and events in life (unstructured learning) Confidence building Future planning Reflective log / evidence Experience and Processing Family life (home- making,caring, domestic organisation) Work (paid or unpaid) Community, voluntary or leisure activities Key experiences and events in life Confidence building Goals and what is needed to achieve them Lifelong learning Reflective log / evidence Reflection Confidence Goals Skills Profiling Skills Analysis and Profiling

Recognition of Prior Learning: Toolkit RPL toolkit is a resource which can be adapted to support the personal development of older learners when analysing and profiling their skills

Where to Start? – an ‘objective experience’ Step 1- Analyse a job experience Reflect on a well known job Identify skills in use or essential to job Record these at random Categorise under headings Step 2 - Reflect Additional skills Transferrable skills Step 3 - Profile Organise a personal skills profile for a barperson Skill s ?

Where to Start? – a ‘subjective experience’ Personal experience ( job or life) Describe the experience – what happened? Knowledge gained – what do you know now? Skills- what skills have been developed? Reflections- what skills are in deficit? Application – think of a new job/form of engagement in which you could apply these skills

Skills – centre stage A personal skills profile Transferrable skills awareness New learning/career pathways Signature strengths A ‘sparkling’ CV A volunteering CV

SCQF Framework Older learners 1.Indicated no knowledge of the framework 2.Pilot - found it useful 3.Greater understanding of qualifications and progression routes

Observations What are the benefits to the older learner? What difficulties/challenges were experienced? What successes have there been?

Thank You Contact details: Graham

Thank You Contact details: Graham Alice Website: