10.17028/rd.lboro.5863581.v1 Ian Herbert Ian Herbert Earn-to-Learn (EtoL) How students can combine earning with learning through flexible business process sourcing: a proposition Loughborough University 2018 shared services centre model (SSC) work experience knowledge-based economy Earn-to Learn labour force Labour Economics Education 2018-02-08 09:18:10 Journal contribution https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Earn-to-Learn_EtoL_How_students_can_combine_earning_with_learning_through_flexible_business_process_sourcing_a_proposition/5863581 <div>The emergence of new organizational models such as the shared services centre model (SSC)</div><div>and business process outsourcing (BPO) have been fundamental in facilitating the transformation</div><div>of the way in which many middle-office roles are undertaken. Yet, the assumption that such work</div><div>should remain onshore is increasingly challenged by developments in the new global, digital,</div><div>knowledge-based economy in which the commercial imperative is to simplify, standardise and</div><div>commoditise professional tasks such that they can be relocated to the cheapest location. Even in</div><div>the new upcoming locations, robotic process automation is displacing the more routine and</div><div>repetitive tasks. In high-cost locations such as the UK this presents a serious challenge for</div><div>a significant section of the working population: not least for young people who depend on the</div><div>availability of training roles in professional functions such as finance, HR, IT and procurement,</div><div>to start their lifetime career pathway.</div><div>This report proposes a flexible business process sourcing solution, called ‘Earn-to Learn’ (EtoL).</div><div>The concept is rooted in a relationship between industry, higher education institutions (HEIs) and</div><div>government. The aims are to enable:</div><div>• students to access higher education programmes and engage in good quality paid, work</div><div>experience across their degree programmes;</div><div>• employers to access a new skilled and flexible labour force, and</div><div>• universities to improve social inclusion and create a sustainable supply of ‘work-ready’ and</div><div>employable graduates. </div>