Page 50 - Learning-while-working-Success-stories-on-workplace-learning-in-Europe

Learning while working
44 Success stories on workplace learning in Europe

To reach, motivate and engage low-skilled adults in learning, their work
environments need to be turned into learning places, to make learning relevant
and in tune with their life experiences and their immediate environment,
embedded in their work. As shown by the good practices compiled by Cedefop
on the acquisition of basic skills in the work place, literacy and numeracy should
be embedded in vocational programmes and not addressed in a vacuum, while
providing opportunities to acquire other key competences such as learning
to learn or problem-solving. Examples are given below.

In Finland, the NOSTE programme (2003-09) aimed at improving poorly qualified adults’ key
competences, career prospects and satisfaction at work, and was implemented in cooperation
with the social partners to carry out practical learning processes in the workplace. The programme
has shown that low-skilled adults expect training to have a close connection with their work
tasks and take into consideration their earlier work history. Employer involvement in the training
arrangements and social support from the learners’ peer group are factors in successful learning
(Cedefop, 2008h).
Several national programmes intend to turn workplaces into learning environments, such
as in Sweden, where subsidised learning initiatives in the workplace are based on work team
projects and problem-solving and are coached by a mentor (Ministry of Education and Research,
2008). Since 2006 in Norway, the Programme for basic competences in working life promotes
the acquisition of key competences, such as literacy, numeracy and digital competence, in the
workplace and in relation to the job (Cedefop, 2010f). Learning is combined with working tasks
with the aim of strengthening participant motivation to learn the activity, while learning basic
skills is linked to other job-relevant training. The purpose of the programme is to ensure that
adults acquire the basic competences they need to meet the requirements and rapid changes
in working life and avoid unemployment due to the lack of basic skills. Employers who agree
to provide basic skills in the workplace receive financial compensation for the time workers
spend on structured learning.

The promotion of transversal competences in the workplace is key to enlarging
access to learning opportunities. As the examples illustrate, public and sectoral
training agendas need to assist low- and medium-skilled, employees in coping
with changing working-related demands, by upgrading and acquiring technical
and enterprise-based competences linked to specific work processes, as well
as personal and social skills, which are increasingly demanded.