supporting learners news issue 6
DESCRIPTION
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: - developments in the area of a publicly funded careers service that will affect existing structures and networks - 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 - other news, developments and resources that will help support members as learners.TRANSCRIPT
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:
developments in the area of a publicly funded careers service that will affect existing structures and
networks
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
other news, developments and resources that will help support members as learners.
Introduction
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:
A website – providing
information about what
jobs are growing and
where the opportunities
are, the skills and
qualifications needed and
how to get them
An adviceline – so
callers can talk through
their options with an
adviser and make
informed decisions and
choices
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:
Apprenticeships – the
Government’s flagship
training programme
Courses offered by
FE colleges
HE programmes of
study
Funding for learning,
including grants, loans
and other awards
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
ISSUE 6, MARCH 2012 SUPPORTING LEARNERS NEWS
SUPPORTING LEARNERS NEWS
Inside this issue:
Register for your
Lifelong learning
Account
2
National Council for
Careers
2
Inspiring the Future 2
Complimentary
NAEGA membership
for 2012
3
Higher learning at
Work
3
Contact Us 4
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
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.
Page 2
SUPPORTING LEARNERS NEWS
Register for your free Lifelong Learning Account
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.
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:
A skills diagnostic tool to identify their interests, strengths and needs
Localised course and job searches
A CV builder
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
Inspiring the Future
Why volunteer in a local school or college?
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.
Practice communication and presentation skills in a different environment. Young people are a re-ceptive, enthusiastic and inquisitive audience; they often ask unexpected questions.
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/
Inspiring the Future is a free service which will see tens of thousands of people from all sectors and pro-
fessions 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 in-
sights stalks.
Page 3
SUPPORTING LEARNERS NEWS
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.
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 [email protected] 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
For further information on any of the topics in this newsletter then please contact
your Regional Supporting Learners contact your Regional Supporting Learners
contact:
SUPPORTING LEARNERS NEWS
Contact Us
Midlands region
Paul Humphreys
0121 236 4454
Northern region
Dave Storrie
0191 227 5561
North West region
John Halligan
0151 236 2321
Southern and Eastern region
Jon Tennison
020 7467 1342
South West region
Rob Garrett
07899 966 358
Yorkshire and the Humber region
Sharon Burke
0113 200 1073
Or
Ian Borkett
Quality and Standards Manager
020 7079 6940
Louisa Shaw
Climbing Frame Development
Officer
020 7079 6934
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: [email protected]