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of the British Institute of Adult Education, to the challenges of post-war reconstruction and NIACE’s move from ‘worthy margin to lively mainstream’ over the past few decades. It’s a remarkable story, demonstrating NIACE’s enduring influence on policy not only in

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adult education but also in other areas of social and cultural life. This month’s article shows how the British Institute’s growing interest in the ‘remoter provinces’ of the adult education scene led to the creation of the British Film Institute and the Arts Council and opened up partnerships with organisations such as the BBC and the British Army. A lot has changed, of course, but a lot remains the same. NIACE remains committed to the

extension of opportunities for adults to learn, especially those adults who have benefited least from their initial education. Like the Institute’s founders, we believe that adult education is not a luxury but an essential dimension of the everyday life of democratic society. As Institute Council member Basil Yeaxlee wrote in 1929, adult education ‘is as inseparable from normal living as food and physical exercise’. Now, as in 1921, we face a challenging economic environment in which to make our case

for adult education as a major force for good in society. This Adults Learning looks at the role of learning in the workplace, the forms it might take, both formal and informal, and how it should be funded. In particular, we consider the challenge of engaging employers in workforce development. The TUC’s Bert Clough outlines one model for co-investment, while Neil Scales and Jez Langhorn explain why their organisations, Merseytravel and McDonald’s respectively, have embraced education in the workplace. Apprenticeships must be an important part of the workplace offer, for adults as well as

young people. As Carol Taylor explains, there are challenges here, not least in ensuring that every adult who can benefit has the opportunity to do so. As NIACE’s founders realised, not everyone makes it in life with only one chance, and that’s why adult education is, for us as it was for them, a ‘permanent national necessity’.

Paul Stanistreet Editor – Adults Learning

4 News 7 Commentary

8 A shared responsibility for skills Greater co-investment in workforce development won’t come about simply through government exhortation. It requires dialogue between employers and employees, within a framework of mutual trust and cooperation. Collective learning funds provide us with one such model, writes Bert Clough

11 The quality of Mersey World-class organisations need world-

class skills, says Merseytravel Chief Executive Neil Scales. That’s why he’s embraced informal learning for his staff, recognising that when people gain satisfaction from personal development learning, they bring that satisfaction and an appetite for developing further skills with them into work

2 ADULTS LEARNING JANUARY 2011

12 The write stuff The use of creative writing in work

environments is easy to mock but there is a strong case for creative learning at work, with clear dividends for both staff and employers, writes Christina Sanders

13 Apprenticeships that

work for adults Adult apprenticeships may not be the answer for all adults, but they are a significant part of the mix of what is on offer to adults. The challenge is to ensure that all the adults who can benefit do, writes Carol Taylor

14 ‘We’re an educator, not

just an employer’ McDonald’s UK invests £36 million each year in training for its staff, offering everything from basic skills to foundation degrees. The result, says the company’s Jez Langhorn, is

more engaged, fulfilled and motivated employees and more satisfied customers

16 Small change, big

difference The main obstacle to increasing the number of apprenticeships is getting employers to ‘buy in’ to the idea that investing in training and skills could make a big difference to their business and to the lives of their workers. Public procurement is the ideal tool to encourage organisations to develop their apprenticeship plans, writes Catherine McKinnell

18 A voice for apprentices Dave Thompson was an advanced

apprentice when he decided to set up the Humber Apprentice Panel in 2007, to help apprentices communicate with each other and share their views with providers and other organisations.

IACE celebrates 90 years of support for adult learning this year. Adults Learning will be marking the anniversary with a series of articles, running throughout the remainder of this volume, charting the organisation’s progress, from the origins and early days