Lifelong Learning is the Antidote to the Shifting Workforce ▬ Getting Smart

Lifelong Learning is the Antidote to the Shifting Workforce

Getting Smart: 8.03.2020

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S., K-12 schools and four-year colleges were forced to rapidly shift to online formats and students had to adapt to learning at home. To meet the demand, individuals and organizations quickly shared resources to help teachers support student success. 

But in the field of adult learning—basic skills education, community college, and workforce development—there were far fewer resources available. What kinds of changes occurred in those sectors? How can practitioners in those fields support their worker-learners and job-seekers in upskilling and maintaining continuity with their education journeys in a remote world?

The economic downturn that accompanied the pandemic will continue to trigger unemployment as well as budget cuts, and funding for adult learning agencies and upskilling is sure to be impacted. There’s a tendency to reduce funding for such programs when budgets are tight. But disinvesting in training learner-workers could cause organizations to risk missing out on the very opportunities created by the downturn.

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Looking ahead to a healthier, fully functioning economy, what skills, knowledge and mindsets will learner-workers need? Getting them prepared now for what the future brings shows a true commitment to learner-workers and job seekers, as access to quality and relevant skill-building opportunities creates greater career and economic mobility.

Expanding Adult Education in the Digital Age

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So how can adult education and workforce training programs adapt and innovate to ensure they’re adequately supporting worker-learners? We asked our friends at EdTech Center @ World Education what they’ve found successful. They shared that while you can leverage technology to personalize and differentiate learning, you need to pay attention to the following considerations when working with adult learners:

➤ Offer multimedia-rich distance learning resources. Adult learners need more than just one way to understand content. Learners with limited English literacy rely on video and audio to engage with learning content.

➤ Texting is an excellent way to reach adult learners. Since over 96% of adults in the U.S. have mobile phones and all but 15% of those are Wi-Fi-enabled smart devices, adults from all demographic and socioeconomic groups use texting regularly.

➤ Employ proactive onboarding and support—even from a distance. Don’t wait for learners to come to you with questions. Start outreach with a technology that is known to learners, like WhatsApp or even a phone call.

➤ Don’t assume you know what learners can and cannot do. It’s important to ask them what technologies they have access to and can use before you design your upskilling program.  READ MORE ➤➤

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 11

Reading Level: difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 15-17 yrs. old

(Tenth to Eleventh graders)