Key Partnership Recognised in Developing the Skills and Employability of the Library and Information Workforce
The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) have set out a joint agenda on workforce development issues in a Memorandum of Understanding.
On Tuesday 17 July 2006 the Chief Executives of the two organisations signed the agreement, which sets out a partnership approach to continuing the development of a highly skilled workforce that effectively contributes to the knowledge economy.
At the heart of the Memorandum of Understanding is the development of new National Occupational Standards that relate to the CILIP Body of Professional Knowledge and the development of a new generation of vocational qualifications - including Foundation degrees - that provide progression routes into CILIP's existing Framework of Professional Qualifications. This will offer more flexibility in planning career pathways and open up access to professional and higher academic qualifications.
Other key areas for development include the collection of more robust workforce data, a joint approach to promoting careers in the sector and working towards improving learning provision and continuing personal development opportunities for the sector's workforce.
Welcoming the new partnership, David Hunter, Chief Executive of LLUK said that in a knowledge-driven economy, library and information workers had a vital role to play.
"This agreement is an opportunity both to foster the career development of existing staff but also to create opportunities that will attract growing numbers of high-calibre new entrants. The role of LLUK is to work with our employers across the four countries of the UK and the professional bodies such as CILIP to develop a top quality workforce, meeting both individual career needs and those of the wider economy".
CILIP Chief Executive Bob McKee was similarly enthusiastic about the agreement, commenting: "CILIP and LLUK share a vision in which the library and information workforce plays a key role in the nation's knowledge economy. To fulfil that potential it is essential for the Sector Skills Council and the profession's own regulatory body to work closely together. This joint agreement between LLUK and CILIP will help to raise standards, support professional development, improve on understanding of the workforce, and strengthen engagement with employers across the whole of the library and information domain. It represents a major step forward in equipping the library and information workforce to meet the needs of the modern information society."
Speaking from an employer perspective David Ruse, Director of Libraries at Westminster City Council, said that libraries and information services play a vital role in enabling communities and small businesses to access lifelong learning opportunities. "I am pleased that this partnership signals a joint approach between employers and our professional body in developing the skills and employability of our people. This is becoming especially important in an increasingly IT-focused world where communities look to libraries for support and guidance in accessing information."
For further information please contact:
CILIP: Lyndsay Rees-Jones on 020 7255 0635 or lyndsay.rees-jones@cilip.org.uk
LLUK: Alison Charles / Caroline Thompson on 020 7936 5726 or
alisoncharles@lluk.org or caroline.thompson@lluk.org
Notes for Editors:
Images of CILIP Chief Executive Bob McKee and LLUK Chief Executive David Hunter signing the strategic partnership agreement on Tuesday 18 July are available on request.
The text of the Memorandum of Understanding is accessible at www.cilip.org.uk and www.lifelonglearninguk.org.
The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)
CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals is the leading professional body for librarians, information specialists and knowledge managers. It forms a community of around 35,000 people engaged in library and information work, of whom around 22,000 are CILIP Members and around 13,000 are regular customers of CILIP Enterprises. CILIP members work in all sectors, including business and industry, science and technology, further and higher education, schools, local and central government, the health service, the voluntary sector, national and public libraries. For more information about CILIP, please go to www.cilip.org.uk.
Lifelong Learning UK
1. Lifelong Learning UK is responsible for the professional development of more than one million employees across the UK.
2. The lifelong learning sector includes those working in community and work-based learning and development, further education, higher education, and libraries, archives and information services.
3. Tasks facing LLUK include the development of sector-wide occupational standards and the production of labour market intelligence.
4. Lifelong Learning UK is part of the Skills for Business network, set up by employers to raise skill levels among the workforce as a whole through better training and development.
For more information about LLUK, please go to www.lluk.org
Ends
Updated: 19 December 2006