Academic Programme Recognition for Industry Learners (April)

Academic Programme Recognition for Industry Learners (APRIL)

Practice-Based Case Study: A cohort model for academic programme recognition for industry learners

Introduction

Atlantic Technological University has taken a lead role in the recognition of prior learning (RPL) with a view to creating a best practice portfolio of resources for applicants, mentors, and assessors.

Best practice also extends to the adoption and implementation of a technical definition for data collection, analytics, and reporting. ATU would like to increase awareness of the advantages to be gained in the RPL domain, specifically for learners from our industry partners, so that they can make their prior learning and experience count towards entry or advanced entry to programmes and exemptions from programme modules.

As a multi-campus technological university, ATU is committed to enabling sustainable economic, social and cultural development, in our region. We have developed the APRIL project, a unique initiative that leverages RPL in our collaboration with industry partners with diverse skill and training needs in the west and northwest of Ireland. APRIL adopts an innovative, cohort-based approach to RPL and lifelong learning, delivering customised upskilling to industry teams, resulting in significant time and cost savings for employers and career and personal development opportunities for their employees.

The APRIL project serves our industry partners and their employees, who have many years of experience as professionals. It enables them to enhance their applied use of academic knowledge, with a focus on solutions to data and technology-based challenges in the workplace.

The ATU RPL unit commenced work on the first APRIL sub-project in May 2022. Following a presentation to approximately 300 employees of Optum Ireland, an industry partner of ATU, formal, non-formal and informal prior learning were utilised for the purposes of programme entry and for the awarding of module exemptions. A team of mentors guided applicants in identifying and documenting their relevant experiential knowledge and skills. This project has not only supported the expansion of RPL initiatives but also enhanced access to education for people in full-time employment, and supported key CPD needs of Optum Ireland. APRIL was co-designed and is being refined and enhanced through a collaborative approach involving industry partners, industry liaison officers, Heads of Faculty and Departments and their academic teams.

In an era where rapid skill acquisition and adaptation with validation are pivotal for workforce development, non-traditional cohort entry mechanisms must be examined. The ATU RPL Team present a successful cohort-based model driven by RPL.

ATU’s cohort-based approach customises upskilling opportunities for enterprise partners, resulting in time and cost savings for employers and significant personal and professional development for employees.

This case study documents the model's initial success. It showcases mechanisms by which prior learning was identified, documented, and assessed for programme entry and module exemptions. It illustrates that the approach's development and refinement fostered engagement and trust among higher education representatives and enterprise partners, exemplifying how collaborative engagement drives RPL effectiveness, benefiting all parties.

Sub-project 1: The Problem Scenario

A long-standing industry partner of ATU, Optum Ireland required upskilling and reskilling opportunities for a significant number of employees. The employees had knowledge and skills in the domain of applied data and data analysis, but many had no formal qualifications and did not meet formal entry criteria for many programmes. Through consultation with relevant stakeholders, it was agreed that it would be insufficient and unfair for the employees to enter a programme of study at year one, given the volume of knowledge, skills, and competencies they had accumulated in their professional and personal capacity.

Optum Ireland employs more than 2,000 people in offices in Donegal and Dublin and use technology and data to develop solutions to improve health outcomes globally. They have a culture of encouraging employees to progress their skill development and progress their careers within the organisation. The employees’ professional development is supported by the work of a training and development team.

Solution - BSc Applied Data Technologies (Major award, L7)

The training and development team at Optum Ireland signified the skills area they required an upskilling solution for was applied data and data analysis. The Department of Computing had several programmes that were potentially suitable. However, further information was required to determine the most appropriate level for the employees to enter the programme.

The training and development team of Optum Ireland discussed with the ATU team, the range of tasks and typical daily work of the cohort of staff they expected to participate in this educational opportunity. A further stage of document analysis followed, consisting of a rigorous review of job descriptions,

and duties of the employees, CPD opportunities provided by the industry partner, including details of indicative content, learning outcomes, NFQ level and ECTs (or equivalency), duration, and certification.

Following analysis of the informal and non-formal learning typical to these employees, a programme at level 7 was identified as being most suitable. The informal and non-formal learning were mapped as equivalent to the learning outcomes of a level 6 major award standard, identifying the natural next step as year three of a level 7 major award. The programme identified was the BSc in Applied Data Technologies (Figure 1

Implementation of Solution - The Process

The RPL Coordinator and Head of Department of Computing were invited to present the programme, and the ATU process for recognition of prior learning to Optum Ireland employees. Employees who were interested were invited to apply for the programme.

The programme applications were reviewed, and those that met entry criteria by formal means received an offer for the programme. Those that did not meet the criteria, were invited to use RPL for entry. An RPL workshop was scheduled, on site at Optum Ireland. During this workshop, the RPL team

BSc Applied Data Technologies (60 ECTs required)

Figure 1 BSc Applied Data Technologies

explained how prior formal, informal, and non-formal learning are documented and evidenced in a portfolio, for assessment for entry to a programme at ATU.

The assessment criteria were discussed, and how one maps prior learning to relevant awards standards, making explicit the prior learning of the applicant for assessment.

RPL exemptions were explained, as was the formal process for applying.

Portfolio guideline templates were provided, and the RPL applicants began documenting their prior learning. The RPL team provided further support and mentoring to these applicants individually, including feedback on portfolio drafts. The applicants were guided to document and evidence their prior learning, ensuring all knowledge, skills, and competencies were mapped to the award standard for entry. This allowed them to evidence their prior learning as equivalent to the level 6 award standard.

Once all final portfolios were received, they were shared with the programme team, for assessment. Assessment rubrics were provided to the assessor to aid the assessment process. All RPL portfolios, on assessment, effectively demonstrated knowledge, skills and competence equivalent to the level 6 award standard, meeting the entry criteria for the programme. The RPL for entry applicants subsequently received full offers for the programme.

The timeline for the complete process for the initial cohort, from the first communication regarding the opportunity to employees registering and commencing the programme, was from the end of May to September 2022 (Figure 2). For the second cohort, the process began with the presentation of the programme and RPL to the industry partner staff in May 2023. The scoping exercise did not need to be repeated.

The cohort approach offers a significant economy of resources. As all administration and assessment are dealt with as a batch, significant time is saved at each stage. Having a workshop for RPL applicants also reduces the time required to meet individuals.

Roles in the Engagement

Collaboration of this nature requires commitment and input from many stakeholders (Figure 3). Sub-project 1 involved ATU senior leaders, faculty and administration staff. From the industry partner, Optum Irelands’ perspective, engagement involved senior leaders as well as human resources and training and development staff.

ATU Optum Ireland

VP Research, Equality & External Affairs VP External Affairs

VP Academic Affairs & Registrar

Director Training & Governance

Head of Faculty of Engineering & Technology Learning & Development Training Manager

Head of Department of Computing

Training & Governance Project Manager

Assistant Registrar Communications Team

RPL Coordinator’s

External Engagement Manager

Programme Team: Academic Staff & Administration

Academic Affairs: Admissions & Examinations

Figure 3 Roles in Engagement

Benefits of the Engagement

The APRIL project is increasing awareness among academic staff and informing continuous improvement in how applicants evidence their experiential learning and how it is assessed. In addition, it further enhances our ability to respond to labour-market and societal needs, allowing learners to access, transfer, and progress within our system of higher education.

Key Activities and Outcomes:

 Establishing links with the emergent RPL community of practice in Ireland and further Integration of RPL into ATU activity.

 Strengthen relationships between ATU and industry partners by providing customised training solutions and developing best practices for onboarding client enterprise partners.

 A clear RPL pathway that is user-friendly and robust for prospective learners and enterprise partners. Map the learning outcomes for each module and develop an exemption assessment process for each module.

 Actively engage with the external industry partner to align the course entry requirements with internal industry training and experience in a manner that is fair and consistent.

 Review this process with the programme development team and our faculties to ensure viability and gain buy-in from the key stakeholders.

 Develop a comprehensive RPL assessment procedure that enables employees to gain entry to and/or exemptions from the programme.

 Streamline the process for RPL, across the Faculties, Departments and Admissions.

 Flexibility to welcome all prospective learners from varying backgrounds with different abilities, increasing the number of enrolments of lifelong learners.

Graduation of Cohort 1

The first RPL for enterprise cohort in ATU graduated in October 2023 with a BSc in Applied Data technologies (Figures 4 & 5). The second cohort registered in September 2023. Many of those from the first cohort support and mentor their colleagues registered in the second cohort in planned study sessions. This peerto-peer support greatly reinforces the learning gained as well as fostering employee well-being.

Figure 4

First RPL for Enterprise Cohort Graduate

Photo caption L – R: Thomas Dowling, Head of Faculty of Engineering & Technology; Paul Hanigan, Head of College ATU Donegal; Dr Orla Flynn, President ATU; Dr Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar; Christine McCabe, RPL Coordinator, ATU Donegal and Project Lead National RPL in Higher Education Project with Industry Graduates of the BSc Applied Data Technologies October 2023.

Sub-project one was the first RPL for enterprise cohort in ATU, providing a reskilling and upskilling opportunity for both Optum Ireland and their employees.

Collaborating with industry partners such as Optum Ireland in projects such as this highlights the power of partnership in advancing education and industry expertise. ATU understand how RPL is beneficial for employers and employees as it allows for more efficient use of resources, helping to reduce the time and cost associated with obtaining qualifications.

By recognising informal and non-formal learning, we can reward individuals for their ‘invisible’ expertise, skills and knowledge and support them to access further education and training opportunities, and to progress in their careers. In addition, RPL has long been identified as a tool to promote social inclusion and reduce inequalities in the labour market.

For our industry partners, RPL offers advantages in recruitment and staff development. Access to suitable programmes allows the development of talent. The Director of Training and Governance, Optum Ireland notes, “Through this experience, we have built a fantastic relationship with ATU that is based on collaboration, trust, and a deep understanding of the skills we need as a business. We look forward to continuing to work with ATU in the future.”

The world of work is changing rapidly, and employees need to be able to adapt to new roles and technologies quickly. People, their skills, talent and knowledge, have always been and will continue to be, critical to Ireland’s economic and social success.

Figure 5 First RPL for Enterprise Cohort Graduate

Photo caption: Industry Graduates of the BSc Applied Data Technologies with Christine McCabe, RPL Coordinator, ATU Donegal and Project Lead National RPL in Higher Education Project October 2023.

Conclusion

This sub-project effectively demonstrates how groups of employees can participate as a ‘cohort’ in a programme. The cohort approach delivers time and cost savings whilst expediting the skills and knowledge development of larger numbers of employees. Feedback from our industry partners confirms this is a timely and beneficial approach for employers seeking to retain and nurture talent.

We have demonstrated that RPL can be a valuable tool for employers to develop the skills and knowledge of their workforce, improve productivity and performance, and attract and retain talent. By recognising and valuing employees' prior learning, employers can also demonstrate their commitment to investing in their workforce and promoting a culture of continuous learning and development.

Between the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years, forty-nine employees registered for the programme, twenty-seven used RPL for entry to the programme, and fourteen used RPL for exemptions. All are completing a level 7 degree in one academic year rather than three, a significant reduction of time and cost in gaining a meaningful qualification.

ATU is currently consulting with Optum Ireland regarding the third cohort for the 2024/25 academic year.

RPL is a driver for workforce development. As well as supporting individuals’ career development, it can be a useful tool to address economic and societal challenges relating to the green transition, digitalisation, automation, and skills mismatch. It can facilitate accelerated learning and upskilling and reskilling opportunities to meet workforce needs at local, regional, and national levels.

Our industry partners cite time limitations as one of the primary reasons for not providing training to employees. By recognising the skills, knowledge, and expertise that an employee has learned in the workplace, RPL can help to meet existing and emerging skills needs at a faster pace by avoiding duplication of learning. Sub-project 1 has demonstrated how RPL helps to reduce the amount of time and cost associated with acquiring a qualification and supports staff development by increasing staff motivation.