1. Learning in Practice: making sense of the learner journey at Rolls-Royce
Reflections on our experience at The Open University in Scotland
Ebony Carberry, Khadija Patel - The Open University in Scotland
Brian Ronald – OU student

2. Welcome
Session offers an overview of a partnership project which intersects across the following ‘3 tracks’ of the current Enhancement Theme
Accessing higher education
Transitions through higher education
Positive destinations for students including postgraduate study and employability
Welcome Introductions – myself (current project lead), Khadija (Union coordinator and former project lead) and Brian (manager at Rolls-Royce, former Union Learning Rep and OU student)
Apologies, Claire – no longer able to attend due to commitment clash, but have a case study to share about her experiences as a student on the programme
Presenting this project as a case study about a creative learning partnership which facilitates learners into and through HE
Through Enhanced Support Model of delivery, project helps learners overcome barriers and facilitates smoother and more successful transitions + assists learners in the workplace. Question and answer session at end for approx. 10 mins – opportunity to discuss the project with the panel and to discuss the learner journey with OU student, Brian Ronald
As discussed, the RR/ Unite / OU partnership intersects across the following 3 ‘tracks’:
Accessing higher education
Transitions through higher education
Positive destinations for students including postgraduate study and employability

3. The OU in Scotland, learning partnerships and the workplace: background and aims
The Open University in Scotland (OUiS) in partnership with Rolls-Royce and Unite the Union
Project began in 2009 as a two-year skills utilisation initiative
What the partnership delivers: flexible learning pathways; access to higher education in the workplace; opportunities to apply newly developed skills and knowledge and to gain greater confidence as workers
The Open University in Scotland (OUiS) is working as part of a highly innovative project with Rolls-Royce and Unite the Union
Project began in 2009 as a two-year skills utilisation initiative deliver part-time HE, accredited distance-learning in the workplace for shop-floor staff based at Rolls-Royce sites in Scotland
Success of this learning partnership rests on providing flexible learning pathways.
This gives shop-floor workers access to higher education in the workplace and enables students to directly apply newly developed skills and knowledge at work and gain greater confidence as workers
Who helps to deliver the programme:
OU in Scotland: key advisory departments for progression and recruitment + a dedicated project team + Business Development Unit
Rolls- Royce: employer - managers & financial sponsorship programme
Union Learning Representatives (ULRs)
Students: employees of Rolls-Royce & Union members

4. Facts and figures There are currently 35
Rolls-Royce partnership students studying with the OU this academic year
2 employees graduated with an Open Degree in October 2016, with a further 6-8 students expected to graduate over the next 3 academic years
Since January 2009, nearly 300 OU modules have been studied by employees, with 37 modules being studied this academic year in the STEM or Business disciplines
Over 70 employees have studied at least one module with the OU since 2009
The largest number of employees studying OU modules at any one time was 40

5. Enhanced Support Model:
The Open University in Scotland, partnerships and the workplace
Enhanced Support Model: developed in response to perceived challenges that can make transition through study difficult for work-based learners (to be discussed in detail later)
Enhanced Support Model: provides wrap-around support in the workplace or other settings delivered by the OU and employer with support from Union Learning Reps (ULRS)
A key feature of this distinctive learning partnership is how students are given ongoing and enhanced support by their employer, and the OU during different stages of their learning journeys
Qualifications and individual learning plans are created for each student and part-time study fits flexibly around shift patterns with tutors visiting the workplace to provide extra support for learners as required.
This support is delivered by various means: 1-1 course choice study interviews, induction and progression sessions, individual registration and recruitment sessions, and additional exam and tutorial support. Additionally, students are advised and encouraged to maintain regular contact with their tutor, or contact the Student Support Team to arrange individual support sessions or for advice about their studies and learning progression.
A key feature of this distinctive learning partnership is how students are given ongoing and enhanced support by their employer and the OU during different stages of their learning journeys
Several students are also Union Learning Representatives (ULRs) who also provide a supportive, peer-led role to encourage other students to successfully complete their studies

6. Accessing higher education
Bringing applied learning to everyday contexts such as workplaces for non-traditional learners…
Widening access to learning by responding to specific groups of learners and the needs of employers and …
Providing opportunities for engineering workers to study OU courses for professional and personal development
Through collaborative partnerships and the enhanced support model, the OU delivers our curriculum effectively in different contexts
Creative learning programme for students who would otherwise find difficult to access HE:
The programme / project…

7. Transitions through higher education
This learning partnership is a striking example of innovative policy and practice in delivering STEM and Business Studies modules and qualifications
Facilitates learning pathways for non-traditional students to transition into and through formal study routes and raises learner aspirations
Illustrates how workplace learners can be aided in their transition into and through HE through effective collaboration with a learning provider, an employer and – in this case study – the unions.

8. Positive destinations for students including postgraduate study and employability
Embeds learning and skills development in the workplace and is one route to professional qualifications and career progression for part-time, adult learners
Empowers students through them having greater recognition and understanding of their existing knowledge, skills and abilities
Ensures effective use of new skills in the workplace for students
Enables a positive, transitional route to success for a significant number of OU students to gain qualifications, enhance their employability and progress their careers at Rolls-Royce
50% of students who have undertaken OU study through this programme have gone on to take up secondments at Rolls-Royce. (Brian Ronald to confirm stats)
Followed by Brian’s talk which covers his OU experiences as a student and ULR

9. Student experience: Claire Meiklejohn
successful transitions and raising learner aspirations
“The skills I have been developing through my studies, things like writing skills and time management, have already started to benefit me; I can already see how they are helping me to improve at work.”
Claire studies
part-time whilst working as an Operations Manager at Rolls-Royce in Inchinnan. Claire moved into her new management role after starting her studies, and believes her OU studies helped her secure the post
Claire is studying a range of design and technology modules with the aim of completing a BSc (Honours) Open Degree with the Open University in Scotland
Read about Claire's learning experiences and student journey in the case study (handout) provided

10. Challenges and barriers to learning
Progression
Student numbers
Recognising learning and skills developed
Workplace learning and shift work - tutorials
Partnership working
Progression – students starting and taking time out
Student numbers – managing expectations
Enhanced Support Model: developed from perceived challenges that can make transition through study difficult for work-based learners such as
Progression
Engineering students struggling with mathematics modules
Derek’s suggestions:
That it’s a 3 way partnership, different ways of working, internal systems, cultures and so on adds to the complexity
That it needs flexibility and compromise amongst the partners.
That you need to check in frequently to make sure that all partners needs are met etc
That students remain at the centre – regardless of the complexities.

11. Key messages and outcomes
The programme enables workers to develop new skills, learn collectively and to make a greater, significant contribution in the workplace.
We believe this is an exemplar of how universities, employers and trade unions can work together in a positive collective endeavour
Adopting a workplace focus helps increase participation in part-time HE for non-traditional learners and we now have:
A model that we can successfully take to other workplaces
A model of TU, peer and workplace delivered tutor support to improve completion and progression
A model of line manager support and participation to encourage better development & utilisation of new skills

12. learning experiences in the workplace, and how they
Understanding the learning experiences of part-time students
and workplace learning
…it helps us to reflect on the student journeys of Open University students and their
“lived in”
learning experiences in the workplace, and how they
continuously manage the ‘micro’ transitions of being a ‘learner/individual/employee/ULR’ …
…it exemplifies the concept that learning is a continual process of change which changes both the learner and the context (Hager & Hodkinson 2009)…
This programme demonstrates role of The OU in developing learning partnerships and bringing applied learning to everyday contexts such as workplaces…
Learning transfer – transactional relationship between HE provider, project team, employer / workplace and of course the student (heart of the learning experience / project)
Heterogeneous student body = multiple learning journeys and, equally, multiple heterogeneous transitions
Additionally, Hager & Hodkinson argue that we need to re-examine “common sense” notions of learning transfer and applications of learning, and how the term isn’t a helpful metaphor when considering vocational learning as in this context.
Boundary crossing / threshold concepts ??

13. Contact details - for further info:
Ebony Carberry
Khadija Patel
Learning Development Team The Open University in Scotland 10 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh EH3 7QJ