{"id":14000,"date":"2019-10-29T16:59:44","date_gmt":"2019-10-29T16:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ounews.co\/?p=14000"},"modified":"2019-10-29T16:59:44","modified_gmt":"2019-10-29T16:59:44","slug":"support-for-cbi-report-urging-kickstart-to-lifelong-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/around-ou\/ou-speaks-out\/support-for-cbi-report-urging-kickstart-to-lifelong-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Support for CBI report urging kickstart to lifelong learning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Open University (OU) has given its backing to a new hard-hitting report issued on Tuesday 29th<\/sup> October by the CBI on the need to revitalise lifelong learning.<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report An upskill battle: the importance of lifelong learning in a modern economy\u201d <\/em>highlights the importance and challenges firms face in order to upskill and retrain their employees. It argues for adult education to be at the top of the political agenda and recommends closer collaboration between business and Government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drawing on “passporting skills”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The OU\u2019s popular free learning platform OpenLearn<\/a> is cited within the report as an example of how employees can draw on  \u201cpassporting\u201d skills and qualifications to study alongside their work. The report calls for improved transparency on Apprenticeship Levy money and using apprenticeships. It also echoes key findings of The Open University Business Barometer 2019<\/a> concerning improving the clarity for employees of internal development routes and opening up all new vacancies to internal applicants as a default. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the OU\u2019s Business Barometer report 2019 \u2013 which surveyed 950\nsenior business leaders across the UK – it found that three in five employers (61%)\nthink that they will have to focus on developing talent from within their\norganisation if they want to guarantee access to the skills they need in order\nto be productive and efficient. While seven in 10 (71%) employers agree that\ndeveloping the skills of the existing workforce is a more sustainable approach,\nit is crucial that any training helps to support business objectives, while\noffering as much as value as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Willett, Corporate Director at The Open University, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c<\/strong>The Open University endorses this report. We welcome the economic and social imperative it makes for cross UK government investment in a lifelong learning strategy to support upskilling and reskilling.  Flexible learning delivered through flexible means <\/em>must be at the heart of this initiative to give employers and employees what they want, and the productivity boost that the country needs.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The\nOpen University believes economic success in the coming years depends on\nembedding a lifelong learning culture which rests on three co-equal pillars: <\/p>\n\n\n\n