From wild food foraging and cold-water dips to mental health and menopause awareness – discover how two FE colleges are marking Learning at Work Week

Learning at Work Week (12-18 May) is a unique annual event that aims to put a spotlight on the importance and benefits of continual learning and development.    

Led nationally by Campaign for Learning, employers are invited to mark the week with fun, creative, innovative and inclusive campaigns and events. It’s designed so workplaces of all sizes can take part, including multinationals, SMEs, charities, public sector, and government departments.   

Julia Wright, National Director at Campaign for Learning, said:

“To get on in work and in life, we all need to learn throughout our lives – whether it’s through formal education or wider activities. The workplace remains one of the most important and recognised contexts for developing ourselves.  

“That’s why employers are so crucial in promoting the importance of lifelong learning as well as providing opportunities and support for employees to train, reskill and develop their careers. We are delighted so many companies and organisations recognise the benefits and are using Learning at Work Week to shine a spotlight on lifelong learning.” 

Blackpool and The Fylde College employs around 1,000 people and is the largest single FE college provider of degree-level education in England.

It’s using Learning at Work Week to also highlight volunteering opportunities alongside professional development, as Linda Dean, Deputy Principal, explains:

“For Learning at Work Week 2025, we are looking forward to delivering a range of half-hour sessions covering all kinds of interests related to wellbeing. 

“These range from wild food foraging and cold-water dipping to meditation, crafting and sports – and we’ll also be promoting volunteering opportunities with organisations like the Samaritans, local befriending groups, Blackpool Football Club, scouts, Trinity Hospice and many more. 

“This is all part of our £1.2m annual investment in Professional Development which sees all our colleagues benefitting from a significant programme of cross-college professional development days, team days, professional updating days and conferences across the year. This gives each employee dedicated time for lifelong learning and these opportunities are also individually tailored to include apprenticeships, management training, fully-funded teaching qualifications or funding for higher education like degrees, masters and PhDs.” 

This year, Campaign for Learning is working with The Open University (OU) as one of its national partners. The OU’s recent Powering up Productivity report found that a lack of skills was a key cause of declining productivity within businesses. 

The report, based on a YouGov survey of over 500 UK businesses, showed that one in four (27%) believe productivity has declined over the past five years. With UK productivity lagging behind countries like the US, Germany, and France, the report examines how organisations prioritise, measure, and strive to enhance productivity. 

Two in five (41%) of UK decision makers agree the ongoing skills shortage is having a negative impact on their productivity. However, skills development can deliver change to drive efficiencies. Three in four employers (74%) said adopting new technologies would positively impact the productivity of their organisation. 

Phil Kenmore, Director of Employers and Partnerships at The Open University, said:

“Increasing productivity isn’t about working employees harder for longer or recruiting more staff, it is embedded in development of skills which drives innovation. Improved productivity will not only benefit businesses, but the wider economy and living standards.” 

While Learning at Work Week has become an event in the calendar, the hope is that the benefits and innovative practice displayed during the week will become part of each organisation’s culture for the rest of the year and beyond.  

Milton Keynes College Group, including Milton Keynes College, South Central Institute of Technology (SCIoT) and MKC Commercial, offers a full range of qualifications, study programmes, apprenticeships and Higher Education to full and part-time students. It’s also one of the largest providers of prison education in England, working nationally with 30 prisons across England. 

For Learning at Work Week, it’s launching a bitesize learning platform – a selection of short learning videos, held in a simple go-to destination for quick, expert, engaging, and effective bitesize content. These videos will support all colleagues from across its prisons and campuses to provide system refresher training, brush up on their knowledge, or explore new topics, to fit into their busy schedule and around timetables. 

Tina McDonald, Learning and Development Trainer at Milton Keynes College Group, outlines:

“We run internal leadership programmes, recruitment assisted workshops, menopause awareness, mental health and soft skills workshops, apprenticeships, external and internal coaching and mentoring schemes. 

“Investing in continuous learning ensures that colleagues have a say in the direction they want to take their personal and professional development, therefore improving employee engagement. It also increases the understanding for the need to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to grow within their own area and continue to meet the values and strategy for the college itself, ensuring that this is a year-round behaviour. 

“We want to support our colleagues with a variety of different delivery styles, to adapt to their different locations, working patterns and working styles, whilst ensuring all colleagues are provided with the same opportunities to develop. We’re committed to giving everyone the chance to try new things, develop current knowledge, build on digital skills and revisit old skills long forgotten, whilst bringing colleagues together at the same time.” 

National Learning at Work Week partner NCFE, alongside WorldSkills UK, is also one of the driving forces behind the Centre of Excellence – a workforce development programme that empowers educators to drive excellence in technical education and apprenticeships.

Of those who have been involved to date, 96% of educators believe training through the Centre of Excellence has enhanced their professional expertise.