Workforce sustainability in further and higher education
11/11/2020
“Further education and higher education have an important role in future proofing UK PLC,” says Tilden Watson, Head of Education for Zurich Municipal.
The nation’s skills base needs to be relevant and future-proofed. Universities and colleges can provide the training the national workforce needs to improve productivity, compete internationally, support industry and grow the economy.
With such a responsible role in developing vibrant workforces of the future, how do colleges and universities ensure their workforces are in the best shape to deliver this societal need?
The first step is recognising that workforce sustainability is a key risk to be addressed.
At the end of 2019 a background of austerity and Brexit uncertainty meant some institutions (particularly colleges) were only just surviving. Recruitment and retention was increasingly difficult, efficiency measures were testing staff, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution was bringing its own demands, reflecting an increasingly digital and automated world.
In 2020, responding to the pandemic has brought new challenges, with colleges and universities pushing action and finances to the limit. However, the response has been astounding.
This sector has reacted with incredible speed, flexibility and dedication. Learning platforms, timetables, curricula, campuses and communications have all changed radically. Education institution workforces have responded positively and pragmatically. These workforces now need to develop to provide futures for learners.
Providing skills
Long term, education and training has been reforming. The UK has not ranked highly in skills and sustainability tables. Core learning in literacy and numeracy for school leavers is disappointing and there are skills shortages across many professions and emerging sectors, including medical, tech, construction, energy and environment.
The green economy is a government focus for future careers and part of the Industrial Strategy. This growth area is seen as one way out of a COVID-19 recession. New sectors and industries are supporting the global movement to carbon neutrality.
Renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste management, environmental management, wildlife conservation and biodiversity are all emerging areas for training, employment and redeployment. Further and higher education should reflect skills shortages in these areas, feeding the necessary growth in the green economy. Workforce strategies need to reflect expansion in these areas.
The FE and HE sector has a huge opportunity (and commensurate responsibility) to increase lifelong career opportunities and social progression for all. The enablers will be a 21st century, fit for the future workforce.
Further and higher education workforce priorities
Manage threats and explore opportunities by prioritising workforce planning:
Government policy and investment
- In September 2020 the Prime Minister announced an extra £2.5bn in skills training, plus increasing access to loans for technical courses. This includes National Skills Fund free courses for adults without an A-level or similar qualification, (from April 2021) and increased funding to SMEs to take on apprentices. In addition, there will be over £1.5 billion in capital funding. The forthcoming government FE whitepaper will outline details. This presents a great opportunity for colleges. Immediate investment in the workforce is needed to deliver new courses in new ways in 2021.
- The Prime Minister also announced higher education loans will become more flexible, allowing learners of all ages to study across their lifetimes. Government is committed to higher education facilitating lifelong learning, and to make it easy for adults and young people to study in segments, transfer credits between colleges and universities, and study part-time and flexibly. Universities can exploit opportunities for new ways of learning, but this requires an agile, innovative, practical and fluid workforce, with high levels of digital and administration skills. These may be beyond traditional academic skill sets, so training, recruitment and retention should be on the agenda now.
Financial resilience
- Further education income and funding has been left behind. Renewed investment and new opportunities are welcome, but colleges have become lean and dismantled. Building capacity may take time. Recruitment should be reinforced with appropriate staff packages for competitiveness, which may strain resources. However, a wider pool of talent (geographically and cross-sector) may offer previously unavailable recruitment opportunities.
- Financial resilience is the number one risk for universities. Some courses and establishments may well amalgamate. A transformation of offering is underway to ensure learning remains relevant and rewarding, and to create sustainable income streams. The government push for and support of vocational and technical courses presents income opportunities but could leave parts of the established workforce behind. The threat of redundancies and workforce wellbeing and mental health issues could develop.
Digitalisation
- The Government is committing £8 million for digital skills’ boot camps. From 2021, boot camps will be extended to sectors like construction and engineering, supporting the Industrial Strategy. Colleges will benefit from new funding streams and increased demand. This opportunity should be supported with a workforce that itself possesses excellent digital skills and the ability to teach flexibly. Workforce relevance and recruitment will be key.
- More learning is being delivered digitally – and will continue to be so. Universities are adapting to blended and online-only degrees. The workforce needs this capability, underpinned by digital opportunities and appropriate IT support for all. Curricula will be adapted to long-term digital delivery. Existing skills’ gaps and extra workloads will impact on workforces in this transition. Recruitment criteria will change. Ongoing workforce training and support is essential.
Customer expectation and reputation
- All educators need to become agile enough to offer customers what they need and what they can afford, in the way they want it delivered. Learning expectations should be matched with expectations on teachers, which may require recruitment of extra support and additional skill sets.
- The value of apprenticeship schemes have been scrutinised by industry and students, even though career outcomes outperform degrees. New and revamped apprenticeship schemes offered to wider participants will have to be promoted well and build credibility. College workforces delivering training and managing industry relationships will need high quality and relevant skill sets.
- Universities are managing reputation risks. Student expectations for a near normal university experience have been difficult to meet given the autumn surge of COVID-19 positive cases. Universities have been trying to manage pandemic protection measures, wholesale curriculum adaptations and new online delivery. The impact of extra workload, new systems, maintaining customer satisfaction and supporting student wellbeing and mental health is great. Workforce wellbeing should be high on the agenda and remain so.
Inclusion
- Excellent pastoral, as well as teaching skills are required across all education workforces. Developing appropriate workforce humanistic skills (through training and recruitment) is essential. Colleges and universities have the advantage of direct access to the critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, inclusion awareness and empathy skills now vital in all workforces. The incumbent workforce provides opportunities for exemplary teaching and training.
Future jobs
- Emerging technologies and industries provide opportunities for education establishments. Skills to innovate, create, maintain and manage new technologies (from robotics to electric vehicles) will be crucial for next generations. Finding the quantity and quality of teachers with the knowledge of emerging platforms and processes is a priority for all educators.
