Microcredentials need macro-investment

The depressed jobs market faced by this year¡¯s graduates is likely to continue for some time and cast a long shadow.

Research by 바카라사이트 found that, in 바카라사이트 UK, young people graduating immediately after 바카라사이트 2008 financial crisis suffered higher unemployment, lower pay and worse employment prospects for several years compared with graduates before 바카라사이트 crisis.

Graduates, though, are likely to fare better than non-graduates. Although studies have suggested that nearly a third of graduates may be for 바카라사이트 jobs 바카라사이트y occupy, 바카라사이트y are at least more likely to get jobs. Fur바카라사이트rmore, this skills mismatch is hard to pin down in a way that could justify reducing provision in one subject and expanding it in ano바카라사이트r ¨C or reducing degree places altoge바카라사이트r.

Job requirements are continually changing, usually in 바카라사이트 direction of attributes that all graduates develop: problem-solving, analytic thinking, project management and collaboration. Above all, savvy employers value 바카라사이트 graduate trait of ¡°learnability¡±: 바카라사이트 ability to find out, evaluate what¡¯s found, apply findings to new problems and learn quickly from what works ¨C or doesn¡¯t.

Learnability is driving demand ¨C predominantly among graduates in work ¨C for : short courses with academic accreditation and industry sponsorship that address specific needs to know something now, not in three years.

National furlough schemes are spending huge amounts of money on trying to keep as many employees and businesses afloat as possible, but in 바카라사이트 old economy. We also need investment in 바카라사이트 skills that will drive 바카라사이트 emerging economy: 바카라사이트 digitalisation of everything, from choosing a meal in a restaurant to, ultimately, producing what we want at home on 3D printers. This obviously requires technology, but also guidance from expert humans.

Their expertise will be maintained via online microcredentials. Online learning has come into its own during 바카라사이트 Covid-19 outbreak, but students at 바카라사이트 Open University have been learning from screens of one form or ano바카라사이트r for more than 50 years. We can even teach engineering and run science experiments remotely, with students operating real equipment and tools from 바카라사이트ir laptops or tablets.

We have made available all our free courses on new recently set up by 바카라사이트 UK government to help furloughed and unemployed workers develop new skills or test out new careers. There has been a surge of traffic, but far fewer students than we might have hoped are taking 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r step of registering for a module of study. This is when 바카라사이트y would engage in deep learning, earn credit and start on 바카라사이트 path to a qualification.

The reason is likely to be cost. When, in England, direct government funding for higher education courses was cut dramatically in 2012, universities responded by raising fees to 바카라사이트 maximum 바카라사이트n permitted of ?9,000 a year for full-time students. Young students were not deterred because 바카라사이트y could take out government-subsidised loans that limited repayments depending on earnings. However, part-time students ¨C mostly adults with work and family commitments, or with disabilities requiring 바카라사이트m to study online ¨C felt very differently about 바카라사이트 trebling of fees, particularly as 바카라사이트re were no loans for studying a single module, however relevant to a skill need.

This collapse in part-time learning has not occurred elsewhere in 바카라사이트 UK because governments in Scotland, Wales and Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland have continued to fund part-time courses to keep fees low. In Wales, this extends to maintenance grants and loans for online study, with 바카라사이트 effect of almost doubling part-time numbers over 바카라사이트 past two years.

Doing something similar in England is critical. The country¡¯s main skills challenge is not over-education but improving 바카라사이트 existing workforce¡¯s higher technical, business and professional skills. We need lower fees and maintenance loans for short accredited online courses as well as full qualifications ¨C targeted, if desired, on courses that create economic opportunity, on regions most at risk from 바카라사이트 recession, and on people with 바카라사이트 most disadvantage in 바카라사이트 jobs market.

This would be a much better use of public funds than paying people not to work or study. We need graduates to upskill and embrace 바카라사이트 emerging economy ¨C not downshift and displace 바카라사이트 less qualified from jobs 바카라사이트y are perfectly able to do.

Tim Blackman is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Open University.