New international research centre to promote skills recognition

With upskilling the workforce for the future still high on the agenda for the Federal government, a Southern Cross University academic is part of a new international consortium of researchers aiming to help more people have their skills recognised as formal qualifications through a new international research centre.

Dr Ros Cameron was one of 10 researchers, invited from all over the world, who met last month in Canada to set up the International Centre for Prior Learning and Assessment Recognition (PLAR) Research.

Dr Cameron said supporting and recognising continuous learning was essential for workforce development and participation, educational development and economic prosperity.

“With critical skills shortages, the global competition for highly skilled workers and an ageing workforce it is vital that we develop practical strategies for recognising skills gained through informal and non formal learning in the community and the workplace,” said Dr Cameron.

“It’s about recognising the skills and knowledge people have gathered through either paid or unpaid work. For example, it might be helpful for a person who has been working in a job for many years to have the opportunity to have their skills converted to a formal qualification – giving them formal recognition, greater freedom and flexibility in their employment.

“Recognition of prior learning can increase the participation of people in the workforce and has direct links with current government policy issues such as social inclusion.”

Dr Cameron joins academics from the UK, South Africa, the USA, Canada, Trinidad and France on the board of the new research centre which aims to disseminate information, promote networking among experts in the area, stimulate research and eventually inform government policies.

“Australia is quite far advanced in this area through the activities of the Vocational Educational Training (VET) sector, but there is still a long way to go,” said Dr Cameron.

“The issues in each country are different – for example in South Africa, recognition of prior learning is linked to redressing the past injustices of apartheid.

“No international associations or centres focussed on research in this area currently exist, so by collaborating across geographical boundaries we hope to coordinate research efforts to promote innovation and changes in practice.”

Photo: Dr Ros Cameron (high resolution image available on request)