Experts In Work-Based Learning At National Event
8 September 2010
Professor David Young, UDC Academic Consultant, at a previous work-based learning conference.
The conference at the new Enterprise Centre will be an excellent chance for those involved in making that learning happen, to get together and exchange the latest ideas
”Ann Minton,Workforce Development Fellow.
The Enterprise Centre where the September conference will be held.
Experts from across the UK will visit Derby to exchange the latest ideas on how best to boost workers' skills and the national economy.
The two-day conference on September 16 and 17 will be held at the University of Derby's new £8m Enterprise Centre in Bridge Street, Derby. It comes two years after organiser University Derby Corporate (UDC), the University's business-to business arm based at the Centre, was launched in September 2008.
Around 100 people from the higher education sector and elsewhere are expected to attend the event, entitled 'Enhancing Human Capital through Innovative Workforce Development'. It will look at how businesses can promote, and employees benefit from, training for higher level professional qualifications whilst people continue to work.
This could be done through a combination of learning new skills online, using a computer to tune into 'virtual lectures' held elsewhere, having the work they already do officially accredited and attending courses designed to meet the specific needs of businesses, which can be studied at a time to suit employees.
Subjects under discussion at the conference will include how to develop an organisation that encourages people to learn, gets employers actively engaged in training employees and assesses the skills people already use in their jobs.
Among the speakers swapping ideas during the conference will be UDC's own Workforce Development Fellows, who find commercial companies the training help they need using the expertise of the University's academics.
The two-day event has been organised by the University of Derby Corporate with its Academic Consultant and leader in the field of work-based learning, Professor David Young, and Workforce Development Fellow, Ann Minton.
Ann said: "The Government has made it clear that it wants universities and higher education generally to play a large part in developing the kind of higher level skills and capabilities among workers that will get the economy moving.
"The conference at the new Enterprise Centre will be an excellent chance for those involved in making that learning happen, to get together and exchange the latest ideas."
University of Derby Corporate was launched in September 2008 at Pride Park Stadium, Derby. It is the University's business-to business arm, working in direct response to Government calls for higher education institutions to promote the development of higher level skills among workers.
It is based at the Enterprise Centre which also houses the University's online training package specialists Innovation 4 Learning, Conference Office, Derbyshire Business School's professional training courses, the Centre for Entrepreneurial Management and 'incubation spaces' for new businesses.
The building includes conferencing rooms, training suites, offices, a dining area, café and an 'Innovation Zone' for start-up businesses.
For further information about conferencing hire contact University of Derby Corporate on Freephone 0800 678 3311 or email: udc@derby.ac.uk.
For more information about this story contact Press and PR Officer Sean Kirby on 01332 591891 or 07876 476103, or email s.kirby@derby.ac.uk
