SUPPORTING LEARNERS NEWS
ISSUE 6, MARCH 2012
SUPPORTING LEARNERS NEWS Introduction This is the sixth in a series of newsletters that has been produced to keep unionlearn staff, unions, project workers, union learning reps (ULRs) and other reps up to speed about:
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developments in the area of a publicly funded careers service that will affect existing structures and networks
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how unionlearn is responding to the changes to ensure that union learners at all levels receive the best possible information and advice to help them progress in learning and work
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other news, developments and resources that will help support members as learners.
The term ‘Supporting Learners’ is used by unionlearn to describe the activities of ULRs and other union reps when they are working with members to help them make choices about learning, to take up learning opportunities that are right for them and help them to progress in their jobs and careers. Whilst these activities involve all levels of learning and some elements of information and advice, they also include mentoring, coaching, signposting and facilitating learning. There is a Supporting Learners area on the unionlearn website, for information visit: www.unionlearn.org.uk/advice
National Careers Service Update The new National Careers Service (NCS) will be launched in early April 2012. The NCS will give impartial advice on careers and learning, available at a time and place that works for its customers. The free NCS is available to everyone in England 19 and over (or 18 and over if seeking work) whatever their prior skills, qualifications or employment status. As well as advice from professional careers advisers, the service will offer a range of online tools to help people explore their job interests, identify their skills, develop an action plan for finding the right job and write an effective CV. The
three main services will be:
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A website – providing information about what jobs are growing and where the opportunities are, the skills and qualifications needed and how to get them
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An adviceline – so callers can talk through their options with an adviser and make informed decisions and choices
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A walk in service – to give people the best source of help and advice whatever their needs The new service will offer information, advice and guidance about careers and learning, including:
Inside this issue:
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Apprenticeships – the Government’s flagship training programme
Register for your Lifelong learning Account
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Courses offered by FE colleges
National Council for Careers
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Inspiring the Future
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Complimentary NAEGA membership for 2012
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Higher learning at Work
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Contact Us
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HE programmes of study
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Funding for learning, including grants, loans and other awards
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The job market, both nationally and in individual sectors of the economy Union members and reps will still be able to obtain information and advice through the unionlearn learning and careers advice service web portal www.unionlearn.org.uk/ uladvice and from the
Want to get on at work? Get in touch with unionlearn’s Learning and Careers Advice Service and find out about: new career opportunities, new challenges, learning new skills and funding to help you.
Call them today on: 08000 92 91 90
adviceline on:
08000 92 91 90 Why not give an adviser a call today? Calls are free from a landline.
SUPPORTING LEARNERS NEWS Page 2
Register for your free Lifelong Learning Account Over 300,000 people now have Lifelong Learning Accounts. Lifelong Learning Accounts are a free personal online space, where an individual can store personal information on their skills development and keep a secure record of their accredited learning achievements, careers, financial support and CV, all in one easily accessible and secure location. Account holders will have free access to a number of online tools, including:
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A skills diagnostic tool to identify their interests, strengths and needs
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Localised course and job searches
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A CV builder
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An ‘eligibility checker’ to identify Government funding available to them
• A facility to store all their personal learner information – CVs, skills tests, job and course searches To register for an account please visit http://direct.gov.uk/lifelonglearningaccount
National Council for Careers At the Institute for Careers Guidance conference in November 2011, John Hayes, the Skills Minister, announced the establishment of a National Council for Careers, to be in place by April 2012. A recruitment process was undertaken by BIS at the beginning of the year for choosing Members of the Council. The National Council for Careers will replace the NCS Advisory Group and advise on the operation and development of the NCS in the context of broader Government policy, including policy on careers guidance. It will have an independent Chair and the Council will publish an Annual Report, summarising its discussions and advice to Government.
Inspiring the Future Inspiring the Future is a free service which will see tens of thousands of people from all sectors and professions go into state schools and colleges to talk about their jobs, careers, and the education routes they took. By talking with young people in a school or college, you can make a real difference to their perceptions of what jobs are available and it may inspire them to consider options they had previously never thought about. Talking to working people can also help them get a realistic view on the different routes into jobs and careers and the current labour market. Volunteering for Inspiring the Future is free, easy effective and fun. Volunteers and education providers are connected securely online, and volunteering can take place near home or work as employees specify the geographic locations that suit them. Criminal Records Bureau checks are not needed for career insights stalks. Why volunteer in a local school or college?
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To help young people make informed choices. Going into state schools and colleges can help dispel myths about jobs and professions, and importantly, ensure that young people have a realistic view of the world of work and the routes into it.
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Practice communication and presentation skills in a different environment. Young people are a receptive, enthusiastic and inquisitive audience; they often ask unexpected questions.
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Getting young people interested in your job, profession or sector can help develop the talent pool and ensure a skilled workforce in the future.
For more information visit the website: http://www.inspiringthefuture.org/
SUPPORTING LEARNERS NEWS Page 3
Complimentary NAEGA membership for 2012 The National Association for the Education and Guidance of Adults (NAEGA) is the main UK association for adult career guidance practitioners, drawing its membership from the career guidance sector as well as staff working in further and higher education, adult and community learning, trade unions and employer bodies. NAEGA are offering complimentary membership for 2012 to union project workers and union reps that have an interest in adult advice and guidance. There are two important reasons for making this offer: •
Work is underway to move towards having a new professional body for the whole of the sector at which point all existing organisations will be dissolved. While the timing is as yet uncertain plans are certainly in hand to have something in place by end of 2012. NAEGA do not think it appropriate, therefore, to charge people for membership over this period.
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Also because this is a very important time for the sector NAEGA would like as many people as possible to be able to engage with the consultative activities on the new professional body that will be undertaken during this transitional period.
NAEGA will keep people up-to-date through the NAEGA website, Twitter and regular Newsflashes. They will also be consulting with as many groups of practitioners as possible throughout the year. If you would like complementary NAEGA membership for 2012 or have a workshop where you think it would be appropriate to discuss developments and the implications of the new professional body get in contact with the NAEGA admin team at admin@naega.org.uk or tel no. 01722-415154.
Higher Learning at Work The ‘Higher Learning at Work’ website was launched last year for working adults interested in progressing to higher learning, including apprentices. Unionlearn and its partners created a range of resources to help reps, union members and advisers to find out more about the different routes and pathways that adults can take through higher learning. The web pages and resources have recently been updated and a new ‘Funding higher level learning’ section has been added to the website. This new feature is designed to help explain the changes being made in September 2012 to the costs of higher learning and the financial help available to learners. A change that may help some adults who do not have a degree or equivalent is the introduction of student loans for part-time learners to cover the fees. Those who do not earn more than £21k may not have to pay this back. Part-time learners will still have to find their living costs, but there may be bursaries and other financial help available to assist with travel, childcare and the cost of learning materials and resources. For more information about the changes to funding higher level learning go to www.higherlearningatwork.org/funding-higher-level-learning
Have you seen the NEW Higher Learning at Work website? Take a look today, visit:
www.higherlearningatwork.org
SUPPORTING LEARNERS NEWS
Contact Us For further information on any of the topics in this newsletter then please contact your Regional Supporting Learners contact your Regional Supporting Learners
Midlands region
Northern region
Paul Humphreys
Dave Storrie
phumphreys@tuc.org.uk
dstorrie@tuc.org.uk
0121 236 4454
0191 227 5561
North West region
Southern and Eastern region
John Halligan
Jon Tennison
jhalligan@tuc.org.uk
jtennison@tuc.org.uk
0151 236 2321
020 7467 1342
South West region
Yorkshire and the Humber region
Rob Garrett
Sharon Burke
rgarrett@tuc.org.uk
sburke@tuc.org.uk
07899 966 358
0113 200 1073
Or Ian Borkett
Louisa Shaw
Quality and Standards Manager iborkett@tuc.org.uk
Climbing Frame Development Officer
020 7079 6940
lshaw@tuc.org.uk 020 7079 6934
contact: For more information about unionlearn please visit: www.unionlearn.org.uk Unionlearn Congress House Great Russell Street London WC1B 3LS Phone: 020 7079 6920 Fax: 020 7079 6921 Email: unionlearn@tuc.org.uk