Abstract:

This paper examines the experiences of a private training provider in keeping adult learners engaged in further study to secure their job position in pharmaceutical manufacturing, which is a stable industry independent of the recent economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It uses the analytical lens of behavioural science to better understand why these adult learners made the decisions they did with regards to engaging with further study.

In a post-COVID 19 world, Government expenditure will significantly outway income in order to restart the economy and get people back to work. As such it will be imperative that Government spending in the key area of reskilling and upskilling workers is implemented in the most effective manner possible, so that the Government can realise the full value of their reskilling investments. This paper gives insights into how experienced workers relate to Government-funded lifelong learning and reskilling initiatives.

This paper examines the findings of a case study of 400 experienced workers who over 4-years successfully completed an academically accredited CPD Certificate (Continuous Professional Development), looking for career transition and progression in the secure Pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. This group of adult learners is of particular interest, as 60% of them have already been a beneficiary of a previous Government-funded reskilling initiative, during an economic downturn.

This research will provide insights for Government training and education providers with reflections on best practice from one training providers’ experience, who has been delivering these programmes in an online distance learning manner over the last 4-years. The data set has been gathered over the 2017-2020 period across 400 experienced workers, coming from a variety of educational and employment backgrounds, with 5 to 25 years of work experience, all of whom successfully completed the same programme.

This paper is broadly practitioner research using case studies as illustrative of real-world phenomena. The methodology for comparison draws heavily on Bereday’s model of comparative styles and their predispositions (Bereday, 1964).

The analytical lens of behavioural science theories (in particular Bounded Rationality and Dual-System Planner-Doer Models) suggest some explanations for the decision making of these experienced workers with regards to future study, in order to secure their position and climb the career ladder. Likewise, Nudge Theory has suggested insights into how to influence the decision making of these workers with regards to making better career decisions for themselves and the economy as a whole.

The key outcome of the paper is a framework based on these insights, that can be implemented by Governments and education providers to get a more effective return on investment from the major training initiatives that will be a part of every country’s back to work programmes in a post-COVID world.

Keywords:

Adult Learners, Online Learning, Behavioural Science, Post COVID-19, Reskilling Initiatives, Lifelong Learning.