Home > News > July 2006 > 28 July 2006

CILIP and LLUK sign partnership agreement

The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK) have set out a joint agenda on workforce development in a Memorandum of Understanding.

The chief executives of the two organisations signed the agreement earlier this week.

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. The aim is to offer more flexibility in planning career pathways and open up access to professional and higher academic qualifications.

Other key areas for development include 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.

He said: "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 said: "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.

He said: "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."

External links

The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)

Lifelong Learning UK (LLUK)

Training Reference is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites

Training and development books

Discover books on a variety of training and development topics at the Training Reference Bookshop

Source suppliers

Visit the Training Reference Directory to view supplier details for a wide range of courses, products and services.

Sponsored links

Back to top