· Partnerships are in place with high quality external training providers to provide assistance in assessments, the development of learning plans and learning resources · Learning activities throughout the organization are linked and integrated; they are not just a set of isolated, freestanding activities Planning Workplace Learning · Workers or learners and their line mangers/supervisors are actively involved in planning individual learning programmes · There are systems to identify and provide formal recognition of the worker’s/learner’s current skills or prior learning. Most of this RPL assessment of skills would be carried out in the workplace · Individual development plans, agreed with the workers/learners, set out ways that shortterm and longerterm learning needs will be met. This should not only meet the organization’s goals and strategies but also the worker’s career development goals · The involvement of learning/training professionals (perhaps trainers from a training department, if the organization has a training department, or perhaps a partner training organization) in identifying options for the person’s further development · There is a good system of record keeping – both of skills needs and also of skills developed Implementation of Workplace Learning · There is a mix of both formal offthejob training and onthejob training, and a wide range of learning opportunities, activities and technical resources are available (including elearning resources) · Experienced workers are identified as mentors or coaches and they are given special recognition for this role in the company. Training should be provided to these mentors to ensure that they can assist and guide the learner in developing solutions to problems and complex situations, not just simply provide the solution. In many companies mentors are identified by badges or special clothing · Workplace learning is related to specific workrelated activities, such as a quality improvement process, the introduction of new technology, etc, so that workplace learning is relevant and “authentic” · Some of the principles of work design are implemented to enable learning and development through processes additional to traditional training methods · Workplace learning is linked into the formal vocational qualifications framework of the country, so that people who are assessed as competent in the workplace can receive certification, a qualification, or part qualification that is recognized outside the company Many organizations implement workplace learning with some but not all the ideal features above, but still generate benefits for the organization and for workers individually and collectively.
Including People with a Disability Approximately 10% of the potential workforce has some form of disability but many people do not receive training and miss out employment opportunities as a consequence. People with disability include those who have longterm physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. The extent of disability varies and in many cases people have multiple disabilities. However, it also clear that many people do not get an opportunity to work productively.
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