Lifelong learning: Implications for VET - Discussion paper

In a context of growing international recognition of the need for lifelong learning, this paper has been prepared to provide a basis for discussion of the implications of the concept for vocational education and training (VET) in Australia.

The paper presupposes certain basic assumptions:

• The pressure of global forces will impose great change on VET systems in Australia in the next century. It is better to anticipate, plan for, and manage such changes, rather than to see them imposed by indifferent, external forces.
• Some approaches to change will lead to better outcomes than others, and a humanist approach to change will lead to the best outcomes.
• Lifelong learning, in the context of a learning society, is the inevitable direction for the future. Australia should, can, and will become a 'learning society' in which lifelong learning opportunities will be available to all.

This discussion paper argues the need for VET to broaden its scope in response to the anticipated changes of the 21^st century, and to 'converge' with what we now think of as 'lifelong learning'. The result of such convergence will be a new form of learning, different in character from the prior forms, and better able to meet the needs of individuals and society as a whole.

Growing international consensus on the need for a 'lifelong learning' approach is documented by reference to recent work carried out in the United Kingdom and under the auspices of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (See Section 1. Background.) The centrality of the notion of a knowledge-based society, dependent on 'human capital', underscores the humanist approach which appears to drive much of the thinking in this area.

The concepts of 'lifelong learning' and VET embody a variety of meanings. Section 2, Lifelong learning shows that the notion of lifelong learning is still evolving, and provides a range of descriptions. Table 2, Five dimensions of lifelong learning in a learning society, offers a coherent and integrated template for thinking about how lifelong learning might be achieved. The final part of this section details the OECD and UNESCO perspectives on lifelong learning.

Section 3, Vocational education and training, considers the challenges currently facing the VET system in Australia, placing them in the context of global change and its ramifications in every aspect of society. The central point is made that, In this context, knowledge is the prime source of competitive advantage. Beyond this are more specific issues: the challenge to social cohesion, and the challenge for stakeholders. The former challenge has already taken shape; the latter is a reminder of what is still at risk. Finally, this section deals with recent reforms in VET, which are to varying degrees consistent with principles of lifelong learning and a learning society. The move towards convergence may have already begun, though much more remains to be done.

The thematic concept of convergence, and the changes it would demand, are fleshed out in Section 4, Change and Convergence: from VET to lifelong learning. Consistent with the humanist approach of this paper, this section deals first with the individual, whose primary need in a learning society will be for a solid foundation—what the author calls 'learning-to-learn' skills. In addition, the ideal learner will be required to develop a wide range of personal qualities, set out in Table 2: Profile of the lifelong learner.

Beyond the individual, organisations will find that their responsibilities and relationships are changing in order to accommodate their new and different needs. The author identifies the three pillars of a learning society as

1. formal education and training

2. the enterprise sector

3. the community sector

The responsibility of the VET sector must also then expand, in order to link these sectors in a framework for lifelong learning.

At a more universal level, the newly defined role of the workplace as an important location for lifelong learning is considered to be a cornerstone of economic success. The paper acknowledges the importance of a supportive learning environment and presents factors which indicate how this might be achieved. The link between workplace learning and formal VET is also examined, particularly in relation to recognition of prior learning. Finally, the unique position and needs of the small business sector, as a significant source of job creation and growth, are addressed. Section 4 concludes by examining the pathways, bridges and transitions that allow (or prevent) an individual moving from school to work, from unemployment to employment, from job to job, or returning to paid work after a voluntary absence. This ties together the various elements of individuals, organisations and workplaces, and makes explicit the broad agenda of partnerships and networks which will be essential to support a genuinely learning society.

The fifth and final section of the paper, VET in a learning society, looks towards the future and towards a learning society, in which human capital would be explicitly acknowledged and valued as the foundation of a successful society; a future where lifelong learning would be supported by a network of partnerships and linkages between all sectors of society. The benefits to stakeholders, implicit throughout the paper, are here clearly defined.

The paper concludes with a clarion call for thought, discussion and partnerships in achieving a shared vision for VET in the 21^st century. We are reminded of the power of a shared vision, in providing 'stars to steer by', and in harnessing energy, commitment and idealism towards shared purposes.