Around the world, governments have begun to recognise the urgent need for adults to have better access to learning throughout their careers to ensure that they don't get left behind. This guide has been created to help policymakers who have been tasked with finding ways to upskill the workforce. It includes ten case studies from around the world that have been designed and implemented to provide digital skills to adults. Each one contains insights that can be used to address policy challenges. The guide covers the following areas: Five barriers to upskilling the workforce; The challenges you need to keep in mind when designing policy; Nine steps to an inclusive and responsive skills ecosystem; The components you should combine and support to make sure the right skills are taught to the right people, in the right way; Initiatives that have already helped people to learn digital skills; Case studies of policies and programmes which highlight effective approaches that support upskilling and reskilling; and resources for further reading.

Degree Apprenticeships (DAs) present an opportunity to redefine the parameters of talent co-creation between universities and businesses. Enshrined in the apprenticeship concept and delivery is the requirement for them to be employer-led. Providers (universities, colleges, private training providers) must work in partnership with employers to co-design new programmes. The introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy in April 2017 has provided a stimulus that has disrupted the ways in which universities and businesses approach the development of graduate talent. Drawing on interviews with members of the National Centre, this report considers the emerging effects that the introduction of the Levy is having on employer and provider practices. The report is broken down into three sections. First - the impacts of the Levy on both the talent strategies of employers as well as efforts to deliver social mobility aspirations. Second - emerging challenges that are preventing the positive impacts of the Levy from being realised. And finally, opportunities that our members hope might be achieved in the future as the Levy beds in and the landscape settles.

At a time when all jobs, whether in a coffee shop or a bank, can seemingly be described as creative, you'd be forgiven for thinking the word had lost all meaning in the labour market. However, this first piece of research from the Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre (PEC), written in partnership with Nesta, shows that 'creativity' can still tell us important things about those jobs that ask for it. Headline findings include: (1) Creativity is likely to be even more important in the future job market; (2) Employers don't just value creativity alone: they need talent with project management and organisational skills too; and (3) Creative occupations don't have a monopoly on creativity., Creativity is not confined to the list of creative occupations compiled by the [Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport DCMS. Education and skills policymakers should look beyond sectoral boundaries when formulating policies to invest in the workforce's creativity. Jobs for which employers request creativity at a similar rate as those in the DCMS list include: Florists; Print finishing and binding workers; Bakers and flour confectioners; Chefs; Hairdressers and barbers. We also find jobs that have a lot in common with Creative Occupations due to the technical skills required. Examples of these jobs include engineers, manufacturing and business development roles. This is something for the Department for Education and other skills leads to consider when developing reskilling policies.

This report discusses the UK's future skills needs in general - reflecting current needs and the expected consequences of trends such as demographic and technological shifts and other external drivers of change. We then look at these needs specifically from the perspective of three stakeholder groups: individual learners; employers and communities; and the wider UK economy. We look at the effects of recent and current policy changes and commentary in the literature regarding the effects of those changes. In particular we are concerned with the implications of whether the changes in train will 'do the job' or whether there is a risk of 'getting it wrong' when it comes to developing a system that supports lifelong learning for life, work and a changing economy. Finally we look at what getting it wrong will mean, in terms of impact on our stakeholder groups, and how that might translate into tangible economic impact.

[This report offers insights into business-led regional talent ecosystems that facilitate access, alignment, and development of a prepared workforce with the skills necessary for companies' long-term success. The findings of this report serve as a playbook for [chief executive officers CEOs and their executive teams for establishing purposeful and strategic partnerships with higher education leaders to meet the need for diverse digital-skills talent. This report builds upon the Business-Higher Education Forum's (BHEF) work, supported by a five-year grant from the National Science Foundation [NSF, to develop, replicate, and evaluate a successful model for such partnerships between businesses and higher education institutions. These partnerships begin with industry and higher education working together to deeply understand, articulate, and translate the workforce needs of a particular region. This level-setting activity, aided by a third-party facilitator (in this case, BHEF), creates the necessary foundation for developing partnerships that lead to new educational pathways, job credentials, and talent-acquisition strategies - and, ultimately, employees with the skills that companies need., This report shares BHEF's Partnership Implementation Process, which guides business and higher education partners on how to align their efforts to meet the workforce needs in greatest demand. Through this process, BHEF helps develop and replicate the most effective business-higher education partnerships, those that offer innovative programs to build digital skills and improve student outcomes, including community college transfer, across multiple regions. The partnerships highlighted in this report demonstrate best practices and suggest ways that all types of businesses can deeply engage with universities to establish diverse talent ecosystems in their region.

European countries implemented strict and far reaching lockdowns to slow down the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) and to save citizens' lives. These measures impacted societies, workers and businesses on an unprecedented scale. Entire industries were temporarily shut down and although the countries have started to gradually ease these restrictions, early return to life and work as we knew it is unlikely. Businesses in accommodation and food service, sport and cultural industries, retail and many other areas depending on traveling, gatherings of people and personal interaction expect a very tough period ahead. Europe still waits for up-to-date data to assess the real labour market impact of travel restrictions and social distancing measures, although some early information on rising unemployment and falling search for jobs is already available. It will get worse as millions of people who rely on temporary summer work in accommodation and food service will find employment opportunities to be scarce. Without actual data on the labour market impact of Covid-19, most of the current research focuses on assessment of the potential risk of the pandemic for jobs and individuals. Using detailed skills information available in Europe as revealed by employers' demands in online job advertisements, we explore what it can tell us about risk or resilience of occupations to social distancing measures.

No published abstract

Competency-based education (CBE) is structured around competencies, and is primarily concerned with what students know and can do. Students in CBE programs work through material and assessments, usually online and at their own pace with support from faculty advisers and assessors. The time it takes to complete a CBE program depends on an individual's prior learning, ability and motivation but the outcomes are consistent, anyone holding the credential has demonstrated mastery of all defined learning outcomes or competencies. CBE programs offer the potential to graduate students with prior learning relatively quickly, cost-effectively and with the skills needed to meet employer demands. CBE has been slow to take off in Canada and to date has been concentrated in professions where mastery is seen as essential for public health and safety. However, there is particular utility and promise for CBE programs to meet the needs of Ontario students with family and work responsibilities, or Ontarians with previous education and work experience who require retraining to pivot or advance in the labour market - a group of students that is currently underserved in Canada.

The report proposes a roadmap for a cohesive and integrated technical and vocational skills system (TVET), that builds upon some of the new policy around technical education and skills that has been introduced over the last few years. It calls on government to rapidly prioritise Level 2 provision and to fully fund apprenticeships at Levels 2 and 3. UK workers with none, or low qualifications and limited skills will have significantly fewer jobs as technology impacts on certain sectors. The report also predicts a ‘missing middle’ over the next 5 to 10 years in associate professional, and scientific and technical jobs particularly at Levels 4 and 5. Investing in the existing workforce is therefore crucial considering the cohort of young people coming through the formal education system only represents around 2.1% of the workforce.