Skills at work: Lifelong learning and changes in the labour market [EIP 03/14]

This report examines the changing nature of work across all occupations, including industries that are not directly affected by information and communication technologies. These changes inevitably require employees to update their existing skills and acquire new skills. In general, most occupations now require workers to have a broad underpinning knowledge of the production process, higher-level problem-solving or cognitive skills, and higher-level interpersonal or communication skills. Basic clerical and computer skills also appear to be a pre-requisite for most jobs.

Case studies of the printing industry, hairdressing and librarianship are presented as examples of how workflows and technology have changed over the last three decades, and how education and training for these and other occupations must change accordingly, to keep up to date with new technology and methods. Employers appear to invest in training in response to competitive pressures, changes in activity levels and/or the introduction of new technology. These aspects of the “new economy” translate into additional training activity. Higher levels of computer use within sectors of the economy and workplaces lead to increased training. The research suggests that investment in such training, especially that of an ongoing nature, appears to be associated with higher levels of worker productivity in many industries.

The report recommends that educational institutions and employers should explore an alternative system for delivering work-related training that acknowledges the blurring of occupational boundaries within and between industries. Such a system would emphasise the delivery of generic skills and broad underpinning knowledge and place less emphasis on industry-specific and occupation-specific technical training. This research was funded under the Evaluations and Investigations Programme of the Department of Education, Science and Training.

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Not published in hard copy format.