The Relationship between Lifelong Learning and Vocations - Essay Example

Running Head: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LIFELONG LEARNING AND VOCATIONS School: Topic: The Relationship between Lifelong Learning and Vocations Lecturer: Date of Presentation: Introduction Lifelong learning is one of the essential aspects that are necessary for career development. It is usually a voluntary and vibrant pursuance of knowledge, in order to satisfy individual or professional desires (Billett 2009). Acquirement of this knowledge enhances the competitiveness of a person, thereby raising the chances of getting employment, promotion as well as improved performance in the workplace. More over, it facilitates social inclusion, dynamic citizenship as well as development of an individual. Education goes beyond childhood or the normal system of learning in the classroom. A person acquires knowledge even after leaving school and while in employment. The learning needs of people continue increasing with the rising rate of technological advancement. The style of learning is also constantly changing with new inventions. For example, advancement in information technology in the last several decades has generated the need for learning regarding its application in virtually all aspects of life (Forrester 1995). For example, innovative banking systems require bankers to be competent in the use of computers for information storage, while customers are required to understand how to use new banking services such as the Automatic Teller Machine and electronic banking that enhance service delivery. Technology changes occur every year, meaning that for a person to be competent in the workplace or to access important services, he/she has to maintain lifelong learning which does not necessarily have to be undertaken at school or at the workplace. Many governments encourage lifelong learning as a policy response to the constant changes occurring in the modern economic systems. For example, Valsiner (2000) observes that there is a significant shift to a services economy from a manufacturing economy. The conventional institutions that require people to more vigorously in individual management of life have declined in the recent past, while a knowledge economy has materialized. This means that the formal education offered in the early stages of a person’s life may not be sufficient for maintenance of competence in an individual all through his/her life. This realization has made many governments especially in the developed economies to focus on promoting lifelong learning. This is accomplished through encouraging home based schooling whereby individuals acquire knowledge through the informal system, attainment of formal education through adult education, non examinable education in higher institutions of learning through continuing education, career development and training while working, and personal initiative to acquire knowledge from any available source, for example through the internet. Lifelong learning is of paramount importance not only in the economic aspect, but also for social reasons (Wallace 1999). For economic purposes, it facilitates an individual’s welfare through attainment of the knowledge required to maintain competence in the labor market, which is characterized by the increasing population of educated people seeking work. In the social context, it enhances societal organization and active citizenship. This paper is a critical evaluation of the purposes of lifelong learning and its relationship to vocational education. It compares the key conceptions of lifelong learning, and also critiques the existing provision of vocational education capacity to support individuals’ development across their working lives. It also presents a case on the view about how lifelong learning should be conceptualized and enacted within vocational education. Key Conceptions of Lifelong Learning The Individual Progressive Sentiment This opinion is usually focused on a person’s dedication to his/her growth as an individual. A person is usually determined to become enlightened in order to remain freed from ignorance. An individual usually seeks to achieve independence and adequacy through personal development. Elimination of ignorance usually comes through development of an individual intellectually. To accomplish self dependence, an individual has to acquire particular skills that help him/her to effectively socialize within the society (Bagnall 2000). Even though this conception concentrates on personal development, it is inclined towards portraying a conception of community gains from education, which is believed to facilitate the development of self sufficient individuals who are widely knowledgeable. There is a close relationship between the success of a society in terms of social and economic welfare, with the level of education and the ability of individuals within a particular society to learn (Wallace 1999). Lifelong learning is therefore viewed as a basis for socio-economic development within a particular society, which mainly depends on the individuals who posses the capacity to learn and also utilize the knowledge acquired for production. The Democratic Progressive Sentiment In this conception, individuals are focused on attainment of social justice, equality and development in the social context. It is seen to promote democracy as individuals are involved in democratic processes. People mainly concentrate on lifelong learning for the purpose of attainment of freedom from influence by others, or rule that may be autocratic, authoritarian and any other authority of whichever kind. People seek to eliminate poverty through lifelong learning, whereby education serves as a means of accomplishing personal desires (Bagnall 2000). It is believed to help in bringing in the desired cultural transformation that enhances realization of these desires. In this conception, education generates the necessary social action for the establishment of a more compassionate, open-minded, fair and democratic society. Cultural transformation which originates from education therefore enhances harmonious living within the society in general (Avoseh 2001). The idea of lifelong learning is seen as a person’s quest for knowledge throughout his/her lifetime. Preparation for a better life in future can not be accomplished barely through attainment of knowledge in a one time educational setting. The conception of developing, taking a broad view and organizing lifelong learning and continuous attainment of knowledge therefore forms the basis of all measures aimed at improving the competence of an individual in regard to personal, social, and economic wellbeing (Steinbach et al 1999). It is therefore clear that the concept of lifelong learning goes beyond an extra emphasis on adult learning. Cultural change usually acts as the main motivating factor in the comparative idea of lifelong learning. The Adaptive Progressive Sentiment This conception focuses mainly on cultural change whereby individuals concentrate largely on measures to free them from insufficiency which leads to poverty and reliance on others. Adaptive learning is seen to be important in helping individuals to accomplish this goal. This perception is usually found at all levels of organization in the society, from an individual level, community, national and international levels, which relies on the learning needs of each. Through this notion, promotion of education therefore focuses on the establishment of educational structures as well as policies that enhance the capability of people as well as organizations in the society to adapt to cultural variations and also to be aligned to the varying cultural situation (Bagnall 2000). This ensures that people remain actively involved in the activities of the society, while steering clear of the unavoidable movement to the out of date dependence on other people’s welfare. If such people have attained self reliance, they become significant contributors to the activities of the public. Organizations on the other hand attain viability and competitiveness in the international market. This conception also focuses on the benefits that nations attain in regard to their ability to provide their population with essential facilities for economic, political and social development. On the other hand, nations attain the capability of acquiring the capacity to maintain the disadvantaged and the marginalized groups of the population. The purposes of lifelong learning are wide ranging. The background as well as the viewpoint of people regarding lifelong learning forms the basis for vocational education and its maintenance throughout the work life of a person. The next section critiques the existing provision of vocational education capacity to support individuals’ development across their working lives. Nature of Vocations, Working Lives and Lifelong Learning A vocation is a profession that a person feels best suited and qualified, and is usually undertaken as a form of calling for one to undertake. It is a practice which has significance on a personal and cultural context. It involves learning and changes that occur within an individual and a makeover of the practices of an individual that are generated through learning (Morgan-Klein 2008). The conventional view of lifelong learning has changed over time, to the present view whereby individuals usually focus on lifelong learning and vocations as a basis for improving their competitiveness and the possibility of employment leading to improved standards of living. Vocational and lifelong learning may be based in the workplace, whereby the management organizes for the employees to develop skills in particular areas which require high specialization and skills. People might also learn these skills intentionally, mainly those that were not acquired in formal education. Nagle (2008) observes that vocational education is well established, extensive and wide-ranging in regard to its manifestation in various economies, especially the developed ones such as France, Germany and Britain amongst others (p 66). Vocational training is usually offered in particular institutions in which specialist vocational skills are provided. These are mainly not offered in the normal school and University curriculum. Vocations are important in work life of individuals since they allow a person to understand issues better and visualize operations in a different perspective, especially when there are changes in the working procedures due to technological advancement. For example, the computerization of operations in an organization may require employees to be allowed to undertake vocational education in order to acquire Information Technology skills that are essential for improved performance with the new system (Tight 1998). Skills may not be acquired through normal exposure to new Information Technology equipment without offering specialized training. This needs to be accompanied by lifelong learning due to the changing nature of the workplace, which requires employees to remain informed regarding any new developments. This indicates a clear-cut connection between vocations, lifelong learning and work life. Vocations in a different perspective can also be represented by voluntary activities whereby an individual seeks self satisfaction through participating in various tasks without payment. Such kind of work includes participation in charitable organizations and community work. The person is presented with an opportunity for lifelong learning and understanding the cultural changes. This knowledge is important in maintaining a strong self-perception. It is also likely that individuals who participate in vocations perform well in the place of work (Steinbach et al 1999). Even when people participate in such activities when they are on leave, they develop a positive attitude towards work. For example, if a person is capable of participating in unpaid work effectively, it is likely for him or her to perform productively in the normal paid employment, applying the skills acquired in the vocation. On the other hand, vocational education requires extra time on top of the working hours in most situations where the normal tasks in the work place are demanding. Employees who are capable of sacrificing their time for vocational training are likely to perform better in their workplace (Hitendra 2006). Many governments usually tend to provide vocational education to willing citizens in order to acquire knowledge that is essential in managing its resources. This is important in ensuring that national resources are managed locally by people who understand the economic implications to their country. The national culture is preserved when governments allow its citizens to manage what belongs to their country (Marks-Beale 2001). However, no country can be self sufficient in everything. This means that the technological advancements in other countries will always necessitate learning amongst the locals who are involved in the management of national resources in order to use the emerging technology. Since this trend is continuous, people have to be engaged in lifelong learning. An educated society which is capable of managing its own resources through lifelong learning and vocations is likely to steer a nation ahead in regard to economic development. The following section discusses a case about how lifelong learning should be conceptualized and enacted within vocational education (Tight 1998). Vocational education is important in the generation of practical knowledge in an individual, thereby assisting him/her to work autonomously and acquire self sufficiency in skills related to the profession. Individuals can specialize in particular areas of the vocational education. For example, education for physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals may have specialists in disease prevention, primary healthcare and dentistry amongst others, which forms the basis of lifelong learning in that specialist field. The individual needs to be willing to undertake the vocational education in order to develop the skills required for lifelong learning. In order to conceptualize and enact lifelong learning within vocational education, it is important for organization to view vocational education and lifelong learning separately. In order for a person to develop in to a long life learner, the significance of acquiring essential education can not be ignored (Marks-Beale 2001). Vocational education is essential for improving an individual’s skills which an individual focuses on in lifelong learning. TechWorks company which is produces high-tech communication equipment based in the United States is one of the companies that have improved in productivity through vocational training and promotional of lifelong learning. According to Inoue (2007), the organization embarked on offering vocational education to its employees through providing online educational resources provided by various companies such as Qantas in 1997. This vocational training helped in the improvement of the organization’s performance. Since then, the organization has ensured that there are flexible and continuous learning resources available for employees. This has promoted lifelong learning and improved performance. The process involved. The main activity before engaging the employees in work based learning was to ensure that information regarding the innovative practices is obtained. The management keeps close contact with the employees to ensure that vocational education provides the desired information to build the capacity of learners. Employees become competitive and remain informed regarding the changes occurring internationally, which affect their work (Tight 1998). They are informed on new inventions regarding the manufacture of communication equipment. Conclusion Lifelong learning is essential for ambitious individuals who strive to succeed in their endeavors. There are various conceptions regarding lifelong learning, but the main perception is the fact that individuals engage in it in order for them to develop the desired skills and abilities that make them competitive in life, especially for the purpose of getting employed and improvement of the standards of living. It is also viewed as an essential practice that helps in the improvement of a person’s performance in the workplace. Individual and organizational needs define the basis of organizational learning. Employees in an organization usually search for useful knowledge to facilitate them in carrying out their work. Lifelong learning and vocational education go together. However, it is important for a person to attain essential education in order to become an effective lifelong learner. Organizations that offer an opportunity for their employees to engage in lifelong learning and vocational education usually empower them for improved performance. References Avoseh M. (2001). Learning to be Active Citizens: lessons of traditional Africa for Lifelong Learning. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 20, 479-486. Bagnall R.G. (2000). Lifelong Learning and the Limitations of Economic Determinism. International Journal of Lifelong Education, Vol. 19(1) 20-35. 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