Learn @ Work Today - Monday 8 September 2008

About Learn @ Work Today

Learn @ Work Today is a national event that will be held on Monday 8 September 2008 as part of Adult Learners' Week. During Learn @ Work Today individuals and organisations throughout Australia will be encouraged to reflect on their learning practices and take the opportunity to try something new.

Learn @ Work Today is modelled on similar promotions held in the UK and US, and is an opportunity for employers and employees to:

  • draw attention to the strategic importance of effective learning in the workplace
  • highlight the enormous amount and variety of learning that currently occurs in the
    • workplace, from informal exchanges over morning tea to formal training courses
  • have fun and develop a positive attitude towards learning throughout life!

Aims

Learn @ Work Today will promote:

  • the value of developing a workplace which supports learning
  • the importance of the workplace as venue for learning activity in Australia
  • the value of skills gained through workplace experiences (both paid and unpaid)
  • the characteristics of effective workplace learning environments

How to get involved

The main goal of Learn @ Work Today is to raise awareness of the importance of learning -- learning which, in most cases, is already happening.

Did you know?

Of the 80 per cent of wage earners that undertake some form of training annually; 72 per cent of this training activity is unstructured, on-the-job training (Source: Susan Dawe, Determinants of Successful Training Practices in Large Australian Firms, NCVER, 2004).
 


So taking part is not difficult and can involve as little as badging an existing activity (e.g. a training session, a seminar series, a staff meeting) as a Learn @ Work Today activity.

Planning a Learn @ Work Today activity

Here are some ideas:

  • Staff seminars/training events
    It's quite likely that, if yours is a substantial organisation, there will be plenty of training taking place already on 8 September. Learn @ Work Today for you could be as simple as branding that event as a Learn @ Work Today activity. Use the Learn @ Work Today poster to advertise the event and ask ALA for some Learn @ Work Today mints to put on the table!
  • Job swap or job 'shadowing'
    Swap jobs between colleagues for all or part of the day. Both management and staff can spend time experiencing a different role in the organisation and learning about what skills or knowledge are required to successfully complete tasks. This could provide employees with a view into areas of possible career development and help managers better understand the learning requirements of their staff.
  • Help your employees find out more about your organisation
    Arrange a roster of visits to different parts of your workplace-each section might have a scheduled time (just an hour or so) when others are encouraged to come and find out what they do.
  • Awards
    Why not acknowledge someone's outstanding effort in the learning field by giving them a Learn @ Work Today Award. This might be awarded to a successful or inspirational trainer, manager or learner. ALA can help by giving you access to artwork for a certificate.
  • Lunchtime debate
    Hold a lunchtime debate to discuss learning. What learning opportunities are available? How can these be made more accessible and innovative? Where do staff members feel most comfortable learning? Alternatively, you might prefer to choose a topic of more specific relevance to your workplace.
  • Festival of Hidden Talents
    Employees and members of the organisation are invited to showcase a talent that others may not realise they have. Do you know of someone who sings in a choir, or publishes their own website, or takes dance classes? This might be a demonstration of those talents, a session explaining how these skills were obtained and a chance for others to uncover their hidden talents.
  • Bite-size courses
    Organisations may choose to conduct a brief survey of staff to identify what they would like to learn on Learn @ Work Today (this could be anything from how send an SMS message to a Pilates session or a quick introduction to the art of juggling.) Adult Learning Australia may be in a position to assist you to then find a local adult learning provider you can invite to conduct a workshop.
  • Open Days
    An organisation could hold an open day for family, friends and the local media, to provide an insider view of the workings of the business and/or to showcase specific learning strategies.

Learn @ Work Today partnerships

Expectations of partners

To achieve a greater level of prominence and awareness of their activities, some participants may wish to become Learn @ Work Today partners. Partners take on an ambassador role to encourage other organisations and employees to participate in Learn @ Work Today. As a Learn @ Work Today partner, organisations are asked to:

  • promote Learn @ Work Today through in-house communications and on your websites to show support for the Day;
  • provide information about your workplace learning environment and programs which can be developed into stories for the media;
  • showcase your learning achievements internally and with your stakeholders;
  • participate in events and promotional opportunities in the lead up to Adult Learners' Week; and
  • stage a Learn @ Work Today activity (see suggestions above).

Benefits for partners

As a Learn @ Work Today partner, organisations will receive:

  • a competitive edge in positioning your company as a learning leader;
  • publicity and promotional opportunities in print, radio, TV and on-line as part of the national Adult Learners' Week publicity campaign;
  • logo placement on the Learn @ Work Today website; and
  • raised community profile - an enhanced reputation of 'good corporate citizenship'.

Learn @ Work Today partners will be supported by the following activities:

  • a national promotional and media campaign coordinated by Adult Learning Australia Inc;
  • online information and planning kit which will provide details about how to run and stage learning events, how to promote activities within the workplace and how to benefit from the national publicity program;
  • email updates to keep workplaces informed about what's on;
  • information and organisational assistance to get in touch with learning providers in your area to help develop learning activities; and
  • the Learn @ Work Today screensaver.

Previous Learn @ Work partners

Previous Learn @ Work case studies

Related links

More information

If you are interested in more information about Learn @ Work Today, please contact:

Julia Gane
Adult Learning Australia Inc.
GPO Box 260
Canberra City ACT 2601
Phone: 02 6274 9506
Email: info@adultlearnersweek.org