The University and the Permanent Learning as resources for employability in a Liquid Modernity

In an increasingly precarious economic and social framework, in a Time of Uncertainty (Bauman, 2007), lifelong learning is one of the most effective strategies to escape a crisis that affects not only the University, but businesses, and especially the lives of men and women. In the past, work was of crucial importance in defining the identity of an individual. It was characterized by a place and, often, an indefinite period of time. Today, work has become a path of entries and exits where men and women are faced with mobility, impermanence and flexibility, signifying the start of dangerous processes of social exclusion and individual distress. The Universities of Bologna (by Cestriell), RomaTre and Salento with the cooperation of BioSelfLab-s.r.l. are involved in planning the service structures, beginning from an initial definition of Lifelong Learning Centres, in order to foster concrete actions for more sustainable employability, with specific focus also on the employability of women who do not yet have complete gender equality in our country. The action-research benefits from the experience of the American Teaching Centres and European experience of recognition of prior learning, and includes a synergistic cooperation with companies in order to help develop the right conditions for dialogue and increase the chances of success. The research reconstructs the professional experience, with the support of technology, of narrative approaches, and of social transitions, in order to support the recognition and narrative skills of unemployed women. In the permanent learning workshops, the implementation of the ‘personal portfolio’ worker focuses strategically on both the individual and the collective: in this way the University can expand access and can concretely contribute to a new social function of education. The paper has been designed jointly by the three authors: part 1 is attributed to Paolo Di Rienzo, part 2 and 2.1 are attributed to Manuela Gallerani and part 3 is attributed to Maria Ermelinda. The introduction, conclusions and references are compiled in common.