Lifelong Learning is the Antidote to
the Shifting Workforce
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.
═════════►
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
═════════►
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 ➤➤
Based on 7 readability formulas:
Grade Level: 11
Reading Level: difficult to read.
Reader's Age: 15-17 yrs. old
(Tenth to Eleventh graders)
Posts
