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BACKGROUND
According Cedefop (2020) Estimates tell us that there are 128 million adults in the EU-28+ with potential for upskilling and reskilling. This is an impressive pool of untapped talent waiting to be unlocked. Analysis by skill dimension of the risk of being low-skilled shows that, compared to the average adult population, older people are more are particular risk of being low-skilled. Most adults with low skills lead busy life which leave little time for learning. In fact, shortage of time is the biggest barrier to learning participation for low-skilled adults according to OECD PIAAC data, be this due to work-related (22%) or family-related reasons (19%). At the same time, adults with low skills have limited bargaining power when asking their employer for time off to participate in training. Further, they often cannot afford to take unpaid leave to pursue the training.
Giving every adult, including the low-skilled, the right to take leave for education and training purposes can increase training participation. This should go hand-in-hand with other measures that increase flexibility and allow adults to fit learning into their busy schedules, such as evening and weekend provision, part-time and modular programmes and distance learning.
Not many adults have the time and motivation to take part in lengthy courses to upskill or reskill. At the same time, technological change will make those with high skills, more productive and hence more sought after by employers (Nedelkoska and Quintini, 2018).
Labour market is actually a global and supranational entity. There are of course national differences and niches but the new technologies and the expected changes are far more transnational than local or national. The partnership idea is to arrive at a definition of tools and outputs that will be fully transnationals and fully adopted in all partners joining the group.
Based on the needs analysis and preliminary research carried out by partners, LAB-ADA project sets the overall goal to develop an innovative web learning approach for advancing and sustaining low skilled adults possibilities to gain enough knowledge, also to foster their wellbeing and mental health through the acquisition of needed skills that would help them make changes effectively, master their life and enter the desirable job market.
This project aims to:
- create a tools for adult educators, adults which consist of non-formal digital learning possibilities;
- expand the offer of high-quality courses and increase participation through effective awareness, orientation and motivation strategies for groups of adult learners using the results;
- build a holistic framework and a replicable training model to manage the adoption of new skills among staff members of the organisations and low skilled workers.
OBJECTIVES
Project LAB-ADA objectives are to create outputs useful for adults, adult educators, labour advisors, policy-makers, social partners, public employment services and learning providers that can help to create better opportunities for adults with low skills.
What is more, the majority of low-skilled adults takes part in learning to advance their career. However, learning opportunities do not always equip them with the skills needed for the labour market. Only two in three adults think that participation in training helped them achieve positive employment outcomes, such as performing better in their current job, being promoted, getting a (new) job or a higher salary. Further, two in five adults who take part in training, participate in health and safety training only, while knowledge of health and safety is an important requirement to reduce the likelihood of work accidents. We will work in the innovation to make adult learning more interesting and relevant for adults with low skills.
The direct target groups of the LAB-ADA project are low skilled adults and adult educators. Needs of the target groups will be fulfilled, while supporting: a) adults with low skills to upskill and reskill which is imperative for a future of work that is both more productive and inclusive; b) adult educators giving them tools of non-formal digital learning opportunities.
Additional to the Target group of the LAB-ADA project, target group of results use will be:
- Formal and non-formal adult learning providers including secondary schools, colleges, universities, employers, unions, and community centres, non-profit organizations, public libraries, private companies, religious institutions, museums, etc.
- Individuals: Employed, unemployed adults, with the deferent purpose, including job or career reasons, belter wellbeing reasons, educational reasons, or personal interest.
- Adults education administrators, programs designers, etc.
IMPLEMENTATION
By implementing the project partners seek to improve low skilled adults learning opportunities. For that reason, the Mapping Frame for improvements of low skilled adults learning will be created also it will be a methodological document guiding the development of the second output – Toolkit for remote co-design activities. Mapping Frame for improvements of low skilled adults learning will represent a four pillar frame mapping the factors that affect low skilled adults learning interlined with the skills that need to be developed in order to improve they capabilities to pursue what they value in life. Another objective of the project is to foster and to strengthen the digital skills of the low skilled adults through the creation of an open source toolkit for the development of creative-collaborative online projects (Toolkit for remote co-design activities). The creation of digital storytelling, the analysis and mapping of social phenomena today become an indispensable resource for those who is seeking news skills and training, also it will serve as a social inclusion.
RESULTS
In the present description of the expected results as a product of the project activities, to have the following results is expected:
- Mobilisation of the target groups: after an analysis of the needs of all local formative institutions, labour dedicated
- institutions and international data, each partner will involve the huge number of target groups as teachers, trainers, tutors, personnel involved in active employment policies, figures involved in the education processes of adults and adults (teacher, training designer, content developer), counsellor, mentors in order to activate them in the search of new ways and existing digital non-formal learning possibilities to teach the new skills requested by labour market of the future;
- A series of surveys: we expect to give the new instrument to help low skilled adults to try non-formal digital learning possibilities.
- Increased use of digital technologies at work. A it is raising the demand for new skills along three lines. First, acquire of generic ICT, second, the use of ICT products and services, third, the use of ICTs is changing the way work is carried out and raising the demand for ICT-complementary skills.
- Results realisation: outputs represents a real “toolboxes” for those who are involved in creating the new skills useful for the future labour market and those which will learn these skills.
We will create a guide with possible non-formal learning opportunities for low skilled adults.
What is more, the majority of low-skilled adults takes part in learning to advance their career.
However, learning opportunities do not always equip them with the skills needed for the labour market. Only two in three adults think that participation in training helped them achieve positive employment outcomes, such as performing better in their current job, being promoted, getting a (new) job or a higher salary. Further, two in five adults who take part in training, participate in health and safety training only, while knowledge of health and safety is an important requirement to reduce the likelihood of work accidents. We will work in the innovation to make adult learning more interesting and relevant for adults with low skills.
In this kind of environment adults with low skills and adults need support in identifying their training needs and in understanding which type of training is most appropriate for them.
Additionally, they need advice on how to tackle any barrier to participation, including limited finances, lack of time due to family commitments and distance to the training location. And such comprehensive advice and guidance services specifically targeted at adults with low skills are rare. The idea is to tailor advice using different media like books or interactive resources or videos and a help desk.