Innovation skills training in a lifelong learning programme for unemployed people, in Catalonia (Spain)

• Published in: Innovation (Abingdon, England) England), 2024-04, Vol.37 (2), p.242-256
• Main Authors: Mara, Liviu-Catalin, Brunet Icart, Ignasi, Cabré Olivé, Joan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Communications technology; Information technology; Innovation; Innovations; Knowledge economy; knowledge-based economy; Learning; Lifelong learning; online questionnaire; Skill development; Skills; Telecommunications; Training; Unemployed people; Unemployment; Work skills
• ISSN: 1351-1610; 1469-8412
• DOI: 10.1080/13511610.2020.1774353

Innovation skills are valuable in the context of knowledge-based economy and they are present in many political agendas. This article adopts the European Union's perspective of lifelong learning and the role of innovation in the Strategic Framework - Education and Training 2020, and it intends to explore innovation training in a lifelong learning programme for unemployed in Catalonia (Spain). The study analyses quantitative and qualitative data of the 281 responses from students who have studied, or they were studying in the programme, in 2016. Through the exploration of the innovation skills we identified the following groups: new tools, innovative sectors, new methodologies, new work processes and ICT skills. The study also identified two types of strategies that favour training of the innovation skills, promoted either by the expert who teaches or by the centre's work philosophy. Finally, we discuss limitations and future research in this line.