1. Higher Education is not for me! Practical strategies used in the South West to challenge adults perceptions. Sue Lewis: Western Vocational Progression Consortium

2. Developing across the South West

3. Provide adults with one-stop information, advice and guidance to support engagement with learning and progression to HE level study. www.life-pilot.co.uk Aims to… Inspiring adults to take the first step to higher education level study. Using vocational qualifications, experience, professional development to gain entry.

5. Start here quiz: Matches what you want to what Lifepilot can offer

6. Recommends resources, offers other tools: Profile Builder Route planner Register to save your work

8. Over 50? Its easier to get into full time uni than I thought it would be!

9. I now have offers from universities and hope to take a place at Bristol this year. It made me look at options I thought were not available to me. 1,500+ adult users a month (39,000+ since launch) New 2012 survey: 29 respondents to date: 97% found the site useful, inspiring and would recommend to a friend 85% plan to take action after using 50% returning users had taken action Main barriers are: Funding Not sure what course to do Time Family commitments 50% no close relative been to university

11. Where this started. Project 2010-2011: Can this tool be used to help adults into higher level study?

12. Process: Preparatory Guidance Interview Feedback

13. Preparatory

16. Guidance

17. Feedback All personal results How to use results Feedback survey For me personally it was a revelation. I never went into further education, and have always wondered what might have been. Although I believe I am of reasonable intelligence, I have always lacked self confidence and therefore I have not pushed myself as much as I could have.

18. Pauls Skills Manages a team of 14, reports problems, manages shift patterns, etc. Assesses the prices of antiques for his brothers auction house Skills matched to Level 3,4 and 5 WordsEvidence L3/4 best match Higher levels best match 1 Access - to approach, reach, have available, use Can access a range of specialist research materials to assess the value of antiques. Has to access relevant information depending on the nature of the antique. 4 2 Analyse - examine in detail the constitution or structure of JD: Analyse information about machines, requirements for orders, shifts to ensure job completed. Valuing antique objects analysing data from a range of sources to make accurate judgments. 4 4 Autonomy - ability to act independently JD: Direct others,within guidelines, as managing shift of 14 people, across two departments. Make decisions about problems and implications. Makes autonomous judgements, based on research about predicted value of items for auction. 5 It has made me realize how far my knowledge and life experiences have grown since leaving school. I will be looking at starting a course at sometime around the antiques or valuing side. Thank you for showing me that I can do this. Pauls Skills

19. Results:

20. Adults are unlikely to consider higher education level study if they do not know they have Level 3 or 4 skills and believe there is an insurmountable gap between their skills and those required in higher level study. Key point:

21. Address Analyse Autonomy Collect Evaluate Identify Inform Initiate Interpret Investigate Judge Meet standards Operate Problem-solving Responsibility Review Supervise Teamwork Understand Use / utilise Train other people to carry out the guidance role. Make parts of the process electronic. 2011-2012

22. 2011/12 Recruitment Unionlearn Representatives using in their guidance role Combined Universities of Cornwall using to support pre-entry HE guidance (linked to ESF project) 17 guidance staff trained to date – 5 more engaged 6 participants completed process so far – plan for 40+ Feedback from the 6 who have completed process: 100% agreed helped them: consider HE level study; understand the vocabulary of HE; increase their confidence.

23. New Nov. 2011

24. www.careerpilot.org.uk www.life-pilot.co.uk Sign in using a sample login as follows: Email: guest21@nomail.comguest21@nomail.com Password: Guest21 Go to My Lifepilot Go to Profile Retake the Profile to see how the skills map works. Click on the HE Skills Map log icon on the Profile results page to see the evidence builder and assessment against levels.

25. Questions and Discussion What are the opportunities for extension and wider applications of the approaches used in the SW? What other strategies are being used across the country to engage adults in progressing to HE? How can we sell the benefits of HE and lifelong learning to adults in a climate of loans and graduate unemployment?