Question:

Adults who become unemployed require opportunities to re-engage with learning and to advance and update their knowledge and skills, while those in employment also require up-skilling and retraining opportunities. Discuss

Answer:

Title: Education

Executive Summary

This paper addresses the concept of adult education from both the Irish and global perspective. It addresses the role played by adult education among both employed and unemployed individuals. For the employed, a discussion is made on how lifelong learning facilitates the creation of opportunities that come with up-skilling and retraining. From the international perspective, the notion of ‘lifelong learning’ appeared to have promoted more extensively than that of ‘adult education’ particularly in recent years. In some cases, the two terms are used interchangeably.

From an Irish perspective, it emerges that the idea of adult education can be traced back to the 1970s. A landmark development was the establishment of the Advisory Committee on Adult Education, which published the so-called Murphy Report in 1973. Many other investigative reports detailing ways of improving adult education have been published. In these undertakings, the influence of trends in the EU region has been significant. However, in terms of resource mobilization and implementation, no significant progress was made until after the turn of the century. In the latest strategic framework that has a timeframe extending to 2030, Irish adults have a hope of having the country’s adult education sector revolutionized.

 

Contents

Executive Summary. 2

Introduction. 2

Adult learning from an Irish perspective. 3

Adult learning from an international perspective. 12

Conclusion. 15

References. 16

Introduction

The problem of unemployment among adults has become a major concern among people in all contemporary societies. This concern has made adults maintain interest in learning opportunities that one would be needed in case one became unemployed. Unemployed adults, no doubt, require opportunities through which they can continue learning and reengaging with knowledge so as to update their skills.

Similarly, those who are in employment also frequently need retraining and up-skilling opportunities. This realization arises out of the virtually universal recognition that in today’s context, initial education and professional training cannot sufficiently equip an individual for the roles that the society expects him to perform. The modern society is highly demanding, and this compels people to keep seeking opportunities for updating their knowledge to enable them cope sufficiently with a wide range of social and economic and cultural dynamics.

In the 21^st century, the economic climate differs remarkably from that of the Celtic Tiger era. In the contemporary era, emphasis is being put on the need for lifelong learning and for striking a balance between the working and learning lives of adults. The aim of this paper is to discuss, from both an Irish and global perspective, the issue of unemployed adults need for opportunities to update their knowledge and skills. From these same perspectives, the paper also addresses the need for retraining and up-skilling among adults who are already in employment.

Adult learning from an Irish perspective

            In Ireland, adult education can be traced back to 1930 when the Vocational Educational Act came into force. However, efforts towards active promotion of adult education started gathering pace during the 1970s with the establishment of the Advisory Committee on Adult Education. Among the first activities that this Committee engaged in was the publication of a foundation document addressing the state of adult education in Ireland. This document was known as the Murphy Report of 1973.

In the context of the Murphy Report, adult education entails the full provision and utilization of learning facilities among adults who no longer participate in the full-time school system (Murphy 1973, p. 3). The report also suggested that adult education must not be considered a periphery issue. Instead, education institutions were viewed as having the responsibility of being responsive to adult learners’ needs by providing learning opportunities to adult students.

Since the 1970s, efforts by the government to entrench adult education within the Department of Education have been ongoing (Kang 2007, p. 209). The need for this commitment was acknowledged in response to major socio-economic changes that were taking place in the Irish society. Although the publication of the Murphy Report did not bring about major changes relating to adult education, it is credited with triggering a crucial process in which the first task entailed appointing Adult Education Organizers in 1979.

Ireland also boasts the existence of a commission tasked with the work of preparing a national development plan for the country’s adult education programs. This Commission on Adult Education, which was formed in 1981, oversaw the publication of the so-called Kenny Report, whose subject matter was lifelong learning. This publication marked a gradual trend towards increased awareness on the importance of adult education (Kenny 1983, p. 11). This awareness was particularly crucial considering that during the mid-eighties, 73% of the Irish adult population had never participated in any form of adult learning (Wilson 2006, p. 92).

During the 1990s, the Irish government undertook various measures that underscored the importance of the education system in the country’s economic well-being (Donnelly 2004, p. 354). Focus started being put on those individuals who for some reason had to leave the education system prematurely. For adult students, a trend towards efforts of upgrading education and training levels started gathering pace. A key aim was to correct the state of underrepresentation in adult education, which had traditionally become characteristic of the country’s higher education sector. These efforts were directed towards both employed and unemployed adults.

However, no efforts were made to create a distinction between the needs of employed adults and the unemployed ones. This distinction may be rather difficult to make as well as use for implementation purposes. Moreover, it would be difficult to establish training institutions of different types, with employment status being the core distinguishing factor. However, one would not expect this to cause any serious problems, particularly considering the universal nature of knowledge. Moreover, the difficulty is reinforced by the dynamics of today’s job market, where it is difficult to make clear-cut differences between various forms of employment.

During the 1990s, efforts started being directed towards greater cooperation between providers of education and work organizations. It was envisaged that this cooperation was crucial in ensuring that more and more adults were enrolled in education and training programs, particularly to revert the situation in which adults’ participation was still dismal. A key development at this time was the formation of the NFQ (National Framework of Qualifications). The work of NFQ has been the standardization of qualifications, a role that is carried out in conjunction with FETAC (Further Education and Training Awards Council) and HETAC (Higher Education and Training Awards Council). A new bill, known as Qualifications and Quality Assurance Bill, which was published in 2011, provided for the amalgamation of HETAC, FETAC, and NFQ.

The 1990s was also an era of determining the training arrangements that were in need of transformation to ensure increased applicability in line with the changing economic times. The changes were also geared towards ensuring that the development needs of the nation were always put into consideration. Towards this end, a crucial undertaking entailed encouraging increased investment in training of employees. This made higher learning institutions become a focal point in efforts to ensure that the necessary training facilities were provided to the country’s workforce.

The concept of lifelong learning also gained a lot of attention, with many EU countries highlighting the benefits that would be derived both nationally and internationally (Lee 2008, p. 449). This continental impetus triggered Ireland’s policymakers to create a portfolio for the minister of state in charge of adult education. The attention on adult learning ended up reaching the Irish higher learning institutions, where lifelong learning started being promoted. Moreover, publications on lifelong learning have become a common phenomenon. In this regard, lifelong learning is being promoted as a tool through which individuals are able to deal with the problems that they are confronted with in society.

Another key development relating to adult education is the idea that this approach is an integral part of the overall intellectual development process for both employed and unemployed members of society. This conception has become a widely held accepted both across Ireland and within the expanse of the EU region. With this understanding in mind, individual countries, Ireland included has endeavoured to come up with mechanisms through which the adult education sector is mainstreamed and coordinated in such a way that participation in a lifelong basis is maintained.

A crucial recommendation in the case of adult education in Ireland has centred on training and education. In this regard, new pathways are deemed necessary in efforts to maintain a healthy balance between education, training, and work. In ideal cases, this would have to entail the establishment of close links between employers and provider institutions. Similarly, the need for higher quality of education has been highlighted. This is especially in cases of individuals who are educationally disadvantaged.

Focus on adult education among both the employed and unemployed in Ireland has continued to attract attention even at the turn of the century. For instance, in 2000, a new publication was released by the Department of Education, titled Learning for Life. This document comprehensively covers the crucial issues relating to adult training and education. Most of these issues are the ones that had for a long time been lobbied for by adult representatives and educators. In this publication, adult education is conceptualized in terms of systematic learning that adults undertake after returning to educational contexts after they have already concluded their initial training and education.

The continued emphasis on adult education clearly demonstrated the growing need for adults to return to learning contexts, whether they are in employment or not. For the unemployed, returning to learning contexts is an excellent opportunity for them to reengage with learning as well as to update their knowledge and skills. For the employed, this education is necessary for the individuals to take advantage of opportunities relating to up-skilling and retraining.

An interesting debate has been on the need for adults to return to higher education. In the White Paper of 2000, this debate was presented, and the need for a national program for higher adult education was emphasized (Department of Education and Science 2000, p. 6). However, other than this emphasis, not much has been done regarding long-term planning and the development of a coherent policy framework. Similarly, appropriate structures for adult education have not been put in place. This has translated into lack of resources, which manifests itself in unhealthy competition for the available facilities.

The White Paper of 2000 endeavoured to address resource-related issues. One of paper’s recommendations was the need for a National Adult Learning Council. The work of this council would entail promoting and coordinating the work of providing adult training within the provisions of the national policy framework. The White paper

In Ireland, the debate on adult education has also been intricately weaved into that of lifelong learning. In essence, these two concepts are related. The basic idea in lifelong learning is that people should continue pursuing education and training throughout their lives. This essentially entails up-skilling and upgrading the knowledge and skills that they have previously acquired. In other words, education is viewed as a lifelong process. This kind of thinking has been promoted not only at the national level but also internationally, among both the employed and unemployed.

The notion of lifelong learning has been widely discussed, and this debate dates as far back as the early 1920s (Lindeman1926, p. 76). Over the decades, this debate has been ongoing, leading to the emergence of various variants of this concept, key among them ‘lifelong education’ and ‘adult education’. In Ireland, the term ‘adult education’ is normally preferred to the other variants. The main difference, though, is simply a matter of variations in public policy discourses. However, significant differences emerge when they are viewed from theoretical and practical perspectives.

The establishment of some 30 Local Adult Learning Boards in Ireland was largely inspired by the need to adopt local approaches to education and training. The policymakers behind this move must have put into consideration the fact majority of adults have families to look after, meaning that they lead ‘settled’ lives. This means that the best thing would be establish adult training centres within their localities. This area-based approach is also important in ensuring that all issues of global relevance are communicated in a manner that makes them gain local relevance.

For the employed, local relevance in adult education essentially entails congruence with one’s profession or line of work as well as societal expectations. For the unemployed, this area-based approach greatly helps in the establishment of a connection between the current knowledge and previously acquired knowledge. In other words, one is able to look at what he has learnt, look at the society, make a comparison with previously acquired knowledge, and establish a relationship. However, although this is a noble strategy, some major failures have been reported during the implementation phase.

Indeed, the structural weaknesses of area-based approaches in Ireland may have triggered the publication of new policy papers at the turn of the century. In one such paper, published in 2000, titled Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF), focus was on education and training from the perspective of lifelong learning. In this paper, the issue of promoting development through adult learning was emphasized. Emphasis was also put on the need to encourage both employed and unemployed adults to participate in the country’s education and training programmes. The PPF paper also addressed the issue of ensuring that the courses offered met the needs of adults. In this case, equality of opportunity was singled out as a key aspect of adult education that should resonate across society for long-term success to be achieved.

Moreover, significant progress was made towards the entrenchment of structural foundations for adult education in Ireland with the publication of the National Development Plan in 2000. This plan provided details of the activities required between 2002 and 2006. One of these activities had to do with making lifelong learning a reality. To become a reality, education and training opportunities had to be expanded significantly. However, there was an acknowledgement that this would never be realized unless there was cooperation between different providers.

Regarding cooperation among providers, a significant challenge in Ireland has been on cooperation between employers on the one hand and education and training institutions on the other. If one compares the expectations of employers and the skills being offered in adult education centres, there are many inherent inconsistencies. For progress to be realized for both employees and employers, these inconsistencies have to be addressed. It is only then that both the employed and unemployed adults can be empowered to face contemporary economic and social challenges.

One of the most ambitious strategic frameworks currently being pursued in Ireland is a ten-year social partnership agreement covering the period between 2006 and 2015. This strategic framework, which was published in 2006, highlights the need for the lifelong learning agenda to be driven through the enhancement of access to educational training and the acquisition of new skills. New skills are of relevance to both employed and unemployed adults. A seemingly interesting progress with regard to this framework, though, is that it has brought on board many stakeholders in the provision of adult education, namely the government, the ICTU (Irish Congress of Trade Unions), IBEC (Irish Business Employers Confederation), and CIF (CIF – Construction Industry Federation).

In the ten-year strategic framework, the participating stakeholders agreed on the need for concerted efforts in promoting workplace learning. They also reiterated the need for employees to engage in up-skilling efforts to ensure that they maintain their current levels of expertise while at the same time improving employability. Employability is no doubt a major factor in today’s workforce, which continues to be highly dynamic because of the effects of information technology as well as globalization.

The publication of 2006 also addressed the issue of adult education in the context of resource mobilization. In this regard, the suggestion made entailed setting aside a targeted fund so as to alleviate the fees that adults are charged by public institutions where part-time courses are offered. Most of these third-level courses are normally pursued by adults who may not have previously pursued these qualifications (Merrill 1999, p. 72).

The key points made in the strategic framework of 2006 were reiterated in the seven-year National Development Plan published in 2007 (Edwards 1997, p. 162). With regard to adult education, this document emphasizes the need for widening participation, responsiveness to learners’ needs, the need for a second chance for education among adults, work-life balance in the pursuit of third-level education, and equality of access. Regarding funding, the publication of 2007 emphasized the need for investment and monitoring of adult education programmes.

The most recent publication, and seemingly the most ambitious, is the National Strategy for Higher Education, which provides a strategic plan for education for up to the year 2030. In this national strategy published in 2011, Ireland’s higher education sector is discussed in detail and a grand policy framework rolled out for implementation over the coming decades. In this plan, the policymakers have acknowledges quite a significant contribution to growth is going to be made by mature students in their quest to update their skills and acquire new knowledge.

A remarkable change incorporated in the publication of 2011 was the reorganization of FAS (Foras Áiseanna Saothair, meaning the National Training and Employment Authority). The FAS was replaced with a new organization under the name SOLAS (Seirbhisi Oideachais Leanunaigh agus Scileanna), a new state agency whose initials in English mean Continuing Education and Skills Services. This new body is set to become established as an authority in higher education and training, with the Department of Education playing the roles of coordination and oversight. The Department will also be providing funding in all the further education programmes undertaken by Irish adults.

With such elaborate plans in place, it is clear that Ireland’s policymakers are confident about the benefits to be derived by getting adults back to class to further their education, sharpen their professional skills, and update their knowledge. For those who are unemployed, this presents them with a great opportunity to maintain employability in the job market both within the country and globally. The 2030-vision plan is definitely going to take off, considering that an Implementation Group is already at work in the development of an action plan for making all the changes needed in education and training activities. The Implementation Group is also working to ensure that weaknesses are addressed in such a way that the existing provisions are not duplicated.

In a nutshell, the Irish government appears to be making significant progress in formalizing lifelong learning plans through publications. A key component of this undertaking has always been the issue of adult education. The underlying assumption has been that adult education and training is necessary for the wellbeing of both the employed and unemployed. However, the problems of funding and implementation are yet to be holistically addressed. Nevertheless, the latest strategic framework offers a lot of hope regarding the future of adult education in Ireland in the coming decades.

Adult learning from an international perspective

From an international perspective, the debate on adult education and lifelong learning rages on. During the 1970s, many intergovernmental organizations, including UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), and the Council of Europe began introducing policy debates aimed at publicizing the notion of lifelong learning. Similar debates were initiated by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), which, in fact, is credited with playing a crucial role in the establishment of the notion of lifelong learning (Commission of the European Communities 1997, p. 12).

In 1972, UNESCO published the Faure Report in which education was identified as a right that should be safeguarded throughout an individual’s life. However, as pointed out by Dehmel (2006, p. 51), between the mid-1970s and early 1990s, the debate on lifelong learning stopped dominating public policy agendas at intergovernmental and international levels. However, thereafter, the debate started regaining dominance as a major international policy issue. During these policy discussions, the term ‘learning for life’ was sometimes being used.

In the EU region, adult education and lifelong learning themes have in recent years been widely discussed. In this region, adult education is considered a major catalyst for economic growth. This is largely because it leads to improvement in the output of the existing workforce. For the unemployed, adult education provides excellent opportunities for self-employment. It is for these reasons that educationists in the EU region have been pushing for the systematization of adult education. A significant move towards the realization of this goal was the EU parliament’s declaration that 1996 would be the European Year of Lifelong Learning (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) 1996, p. 31).

The EU undertook further initiatives aimed at developing a regional policy agenda on adult education. One such initiative was the publication of the 2000 Memorandum on Lifelong Learning. In this memorandum, the policymakers acknowledged that lifelong learning comprised a critical element needed in the transformation of the EU region into a knowledge-based economy (Commission of The European Communities, 2000, p. 18).

However, some difficulties emerged with regard to the definition of the notion of lifelong learning, mainly characterized with slight variations in the definition of the concept. The underlying idea that most educationists support is that the learning process must continue throughout an individual’s entire life. This idea made the concept to be associated with both recurrent and continuing education.

Another area where there is consensus that of an emergence of a knowledge society. European governments, for instance, acknowledge that the adult education and lifelong learning are intricately political subjects largely because the modern society is increasingly becoming a learning society. This has created the understanding that by embracing lifelong learning, these governments will be in a dominant position in the face of the world. It is on this basis that numerous publications since the turn of the century have emphasized the need for EU member states to put in place the right strategies in place for higher learning among adults.

When the EU began issuing policy statements on the issue of adult education, the underlying subject matter was lifelong learning. Other issues addressed within this realm include information society and knowledge economy. To this effect, the greatest challenge was systemizing this form of learning so that both employed and unemployed adults would derive maximum benefits from it.

Across the world, there is also a recurrent problem of compartmentalization of education systems, making it difficult for lifelong learning structures to be properly established. Although some countries may have expressed commitment to adult education, the compartmentalized education and training system sometimes make it difficult for both employed and unemployed adults to access retraining and up-skilling opportunities.

According to Kang (2007, p. 207), ‘from a global perspective, lifelong learning manifests itself as having four key pillars: learning to know, to do, to be, and to live together’. This implies that significant benefits are to be derived through the pursuit of adult education. In essence, employed adults stand to benefit by enriching their working lives, which become strengthened by each of the pillars of lifelong learning.

Even in the case of those who have become unemployed, the need to remain updated with regard to knowledge and skills cannot be gainsaid. Although they may be unemployed for some time, they are not bound to remain this way for the rest of their lives. Indeed, these adults live in the hope of finding employment sometimes in the future. When that time comes, things would work out best professionally if they had been updating their knowledge and skills through adult education. This applies as much in formal employment as in self-employment.

An approach to adult education that is generally accepted globally entails pegging adult education on the social and economic objectives that need to be addressed. In this regard, the goal of adult education denotes the provision of priority to universal access to learning opportunities. For the employed, these up-skilling and retraining opportunities are necessary for innovation, career progress, and professional growth. For the unemployed, these opportunities are necessary for ensuring that the individual’s skills do not become obsolete, thereby keeping the hope of future career success alive.

Conclusion

In summary, the Irish government has made significant progress by coming up with various strategic frameworks and plans relating to adult education and overseeing their publication. This has been largely motivated as much by EU trends as by a widely held belief that adult education and training is essential for the wellbeing of both the employed and unemployed. For employed adults, further training brings about up-skilling while for those who are not in employment, it enables them update their skill and knowledge, thereby maintaining their employability. Nevertheless, the latest strategic framework, which was published in 2011, offers a lot of hope regarding the future of adult education in Ireland in the coming decades.

Globally, the concept of adult education is intricately weaved into that of lifelong learning. In lifelong learning, the discussion has largely been on learning that is outside the initial schooling experience, of which adult education is a core component. Just in the Irish national context, there is a widely held global assumption that adult education helps adults in the acquisition of new knowledge, skills, and training, which are essential both in and out of employment.

References

Commission of the European Communities, 1997, Accompanying Europe through Education and Training, Brussels, CEC.

Commission of The European Communities, 2000, A Memorandum on Lifelong Learning, Commission Staff working Paper.

Dehmel, A, 2006, ‘Making a European area of lifelong learning a reality? Some critical reflections on the European Union’s lifelong learning policies’, Comparative Education, Vol. 42, No. 1, pp. 49-62.

Department of Education and Science, 2000, Learning for Life: White Paper on Adult Education, Stationery Office, Dublin.

Donnelly, R, 2004, Critical Evaluation of the impact of Global Educational Reform: an Irish Perspective, The International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 18, No. 5, pp. 351-359.

Edwards, R, 1997, Changing Places? Flexibility, Lifelong Learning and a Learning Society, Routledge, London.

Kang, D, 2007, ‘Rhizoactivity: Toward a Postmodern Theory of Lifelong Learning’, Adult Education Quarterly, Vol. 57, No. 3, pp. 205-220.

Kenny, I, 1983, Report of the Commission on Adult Education, Stationery Office, Dublin.

Lee, M, 2008, ‘The evolution of the European Union’s lifelong learning policies: an institutional learning perspective’, Comparative Education, Vol. 44, No. 4, pp. 445-463.

Lindeman, E, 1926, The Meaning of Adult Education, New York Republic, New York.

Merrill, B, 1999, “Degree of Adult Participation: Lifelong Learning in European Universities”, In Oliver, P, Lifelong and Continuing Education: What is a Learning Society? Ashgate, New York.

Murphy, C, 1973, Adult Education in Ireland: A Report of a Committee appointed by the Minister for Education, Stationery Office, Dublin.

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), 1996, Lifelong Learning for All, OECD, Paris.

Wilson, L, 2006, ‘Civic Engagement and Lifelong Learning’, Generations, Vol. 30, No. 4, pp. 90-94.