WO2016049708A1

WO2016049708A1 - Online career tracking and validation

Info

Publication number: WO2016049708A1
Application number: PCT/AU2015/050600
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard Melia
Original assignee: Benchmark Lms Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2014-10-03
Filing date: 2015-10-02
Publication date: 2016-04-07

Abstract

Provided is a method of tracking and validating a learner's career. The method generally comprises the steps of registering a learner's profile on a database, registering an institution's profile on a database, permitting a learner to associate a learner's profile to an institution's profile, and permitting an institution to update the learner's career profile linked to the institution's profile.

Description

ONLINE CAREER TRACKING AND VALIDATION

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to online career tracking and validation. In particular, the inventio relates to a method to track and validate a learner's career, to a learner management syste and. to a computer implemented invention for tracking and validating a learner's career,

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from the prior publication), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that the prior publication (or information derived from the prior publication) or known matte forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

[0003] The inventor is aware of databases and social media platforms o which employers and employees can store their details. However, these details are often unverified and cannot easily be independently verified beyond the learner's current place of employment or education. As a result, reliability of career history information is often problematic as it is difficult to verify independently, especially if it is historic data,

[0004] The present invention seeks to propose possible solutions, at least in part, to address this shortcoming. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] I iS: to be appreciated that the term "learner" in this specification refers to an employee, a student, a course attendee, or a similar person. The term "institution" in this specificatio refers to a employer, a training institution, an educational institution, or the like. The term "institution profile" refers to the institution's learning management system. The term "learner profile" refers to the learners account on the learning management system.

[0006] According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of tracking and validating a learner's career, the method comprising the steps of:

registering a learner's profile on a database;

registering an institution's profile on a database,- permitting a learner to associate a learner's profile to an institution's profile; and

permitting an institution to update the learner's career profile linked to the institution's profile.

[0007] The learner's profile may include any one or more of the following identity fields: Name, Surname, Identification data, Date of Birth, Marital Statue, Sex, Next of Kin details, Bank Account Details, Details of Superannuation Fund, Personal and Professional Referee data, Tax Pile Number (Australia) , National Insurance Number (UK) , Unique Employee Number.

[0008] The learner's profile may include career data fields. The career data fields may include educational data, employment data, experience data. It further may include information relating to the role, responsibilities and timeframes^' in each of the positions. It furthe may include the contact details of a contact perso at each institution. It further may include supporting evidence of successful completion of an education and training, such as copies of certificates, awards, scorecards, and the like,

[0009. Registering a learner's profile on a database may include permitting a learner to modify the learner's identity fields and the learner's career data fields. However, any data entered into, for example, the career or education data fields by the learner will be marked as unverified or may be held in abeyance until confirmed by an institution. A learner may, however, self-register for an account and may control which institution' s database it wishes to interact with or dock to.

[0010] The institution profile may include any one or more of the following: an institution overview, an institution organogram, an institution course listing (in the event of a training institution) , or the like.

[0011] The method may include the step of uploading a learner's profile to an institution's profile. The method may further include the step of downloading an institution's profile to a learner's profile.

[0012] Permitting an institution to update a learner's career profile linked to an institutions' profile may include authenticating the institution to access the learner's career profile. In particular, the institution may be permitted to update certain data fields of the learner's career profile. For example the data fields that may be updated may include the job title, jo description, job responsibilities and start and finish date of each role, as well as any awards, certificates, honorary positions, tasks, responsibilities, Key Performance Indicators, patents awarded or filed, papers published, and the like.

[0013] Permitting an institution to update a learner's career profile linked to an. institution's profile may include preventing a learner from updating the same fields once a institution updated them.. Advantageously, this method would provide an independent validation of the career data fields.

[0014] The steps of permitting a learner to associate their profile to an institution's profile and permitting an institution to update the learner's career profile linked to the institution's profile may be suspended once a learner is no longer associated with a particular institution. The method may thus include the step of preventing an unauthorized institution to modify career data fields once a learner dissociates: the learner profile from the institution profile. Dissociation may occur by a formal dissociation protocol and may be initiated either by the learner or the .institution.

[0015] The method may include providing a hyperlink to a learner's profile, typically their career profile, which may be forwarded to prospective employers.

[0016] The method may include the step of posting on an institution's profile a list of vacancies. The method may include the step of searching learner's profiles according to predefined criteria. For example, the institution may search for a candidate that conforms to certain predefined requirements. The method may thus further include presenting an offer of employment to a learner. [0017] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer implemented learner management system comprising :

learner profile registratio means;

institution profile registration means;

association means t associate a learner profile with an institution profile; and

update means to update a learner's career data from an institution ' s profil .

[0018] It is to be appreciated that, with this computer implemented system, reference herein to "means" specifically includes any one or more of a computer program product for use in a local or dispersed computing system, a computer readable modulated carrier signal for interpretation by a local or dispersed computing system, or a computer readable medium of instructions for enabling a local or dispersed computing system to provide such "means" within the context of the description. In addition, such "means" may further expressly comprise any of the hardware and/or software components, independently or in combination, provided for in the description below, as will be understood by the skilled addressee .

[0019] The learning management system may include learner identity fields, which may include any one or more of the following data fields: Name, Surname, Identification data, Date of Birth, Marital Status, Sex, Next of Kin details. Bank Account Details (for Salary deposit) , Details of Superannuation Fund, Personal and Professional Referee data, Tax File Number (Australia) , National Insurance Number (UK) , Unique Employee Number. [0020] The learning management system may include learner career data fields. The career data fields may include educational data, employment data, experience data. It further may include .information relating to the role, responsibilities and timeframes in each of the positions. It further may include the contact details of a contact person at each institution. It further may includ supporting evidence of successful completion of any education and training, such as copies of certificates, awards, scorecards, and the like.

[0021] The learning management system may include a user interface, which may be in the form of a web host, a application host, or the like, operable to host and present data from the learning management system to a user.

[0022] The learning management system may link to one or more third party databases such as social media databases. This may occur by way of an appropriate application programming interface (API) · When linked in this way, the learning management system may have learner career profile data fields and institution profile data fields displayed, but not hosted on the third party database, such as a Linkedln^® database:, a Facebook^® database, or the like.

[0023] The invention extends to a computer programme product implemented to track a learner's career, said computer program product configured to enable a processing system to provide :

a learner profile registration interface

an institution profile registration interfaces- association data fields to associate a learner profile registered via the learner profile registration interface with an institutio profile, registered via the institution profil registration interface; and

an authorization data field indicating permission of an institution to update a learner's career data fro the institution ' s profil .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00243 Further features of the present invention are more fully described in the following description of. several non- limiting embodiments thereof. This description is included solely for the purposes of exemplifying the present invention. It should not be understood as a restriction on th broad summary, disclosure or description of the invention as set out above. The description will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows: a step of creating a learner profile and of uploading a learner's detail, in a method in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 shows a step of linking a learner's profile to an institution's profile, in a method in accordance with the invention;

Figure 3 shows a step of updating a learner's profile from an institution's profile, in a method in accordance with the invention;

Figure 4 shows a accessing an institution's profile, in a method in accordance with the invention; Figure 5 shows a step of posting opportunities on. an institution's profile, in a method in accordance with the invention;

Figure 6 shows a step by an institution of searching for a learner that conforms to certain profile criteria, in a method in accordance with the invention;

Figure 7 shows a learning management system in accordance with another aspect of the invention;

Figure 8 illustrates a functional block diagram of an example processing system that can be utilised to embody or give effect to a particular embodiment of the invention and

Figure 9 illustrates an example network infrastructure that can be utilised to embody or give effect to a particula embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0025] The following modes, given by way of example only, are described in order to provide a more precise understanding of the subject matter of a preferred embodiment or embodiments .

[0026] In the figures, incorporated to illustrate features of an example embodiment, like reference numerals are used to identify like parts throughout the figures.

[0027] In Figure 1, a learner profile 12 is created in the proprietary system 10. The learner's profile will typically include the following identity fields: Name, Surname, Identification data, Date of Birth, Marital Status, Sex, Next of Kin details, Bank Account Details, Details of Superannuation Fund, Personal and Professional Referee data, Tax File Number (Australia) , National Insurance Number (U ) , Unique Employee Number, and other similar fields. It may also include career data fields such as educational data, employment data, experience data and would include information about the role, responsibilities and timeframes in each of the positions and contact person at each institution and supporting evidence of successful completion of any education and training, certificates or diplomas earned, patents filed or granted, papers published, articles authored, KPI.s, and the like .

[0028] Registering a learner's profile on a database may include permitting a learner to modify the learner's identity fields and the learner's career data fields.

[0029] Certain institution data 14.1 to 14.6 is uploaded and linked to the learner profile. In this instance, the institutions 14.1 to 14.6 are pre-loaded onto either the proprietary or 3^rd party system 10 and the learner merely links the learner profile 12 with the respective institution's profiles. As will be described in more detail below, such linking is typically facilitated by means of an application programming interface or 'API ' .

[0030] As can be seen, the learner profile 12 has been linked to the institution's profiles 14.1 to 14.3, but the links have been broken. The learner is still linked to 14.4 and 14.6, but has never been linked to 14.5, as this represents a future employer. [0031] The links that are still, in place indicate that the institutions 14.4 and 14.6 are still associated with the learne 12, If a link exists between the learner and an institution, the institution can update the learner's career profile. However, once the link has been broken by the learner or institution, the institution cannot effect any further changes to the learner's profile

[0032] In Figure 2, the step of linking an institution to a learner 12 is indicated. In this example, an employer 14.3, a university 14.2 and a training institution 14.5 are linked to the learner 12. The effect of linking an institution to a learner facilitates the flow of career information from the one to the other. For example, an institution can update information such as a job title, a job description, job responsibilities, time spent in role, and contact person at the institution listed on th learner's 12 profile for a particular institution.

[0033] Figure 3 indicates that an institution 14.3 or 14,2, which are Currently linked to the learner 12, can update the career information of the learner 12, but the career information is locked for updates from the learner 12. The system 10 includes access control means 16 for permitting only authorized institutions to modify the learner's career information. This facility provides an independent validation of th career data fields of the learner.

[0034] In one embodiment, the database is linked via a suitable application programming interface or 'API ' to a 3^ra part learner management system, social media platform such as Linkedln^*, Facebook^", or the like. As will be understood by the skilled addressee, such an API may comprise any set of functions and procedures that allow the creation of applications which access the features or data of. an operating system, application, o other service.

[0035] Figure 4, shows the prior ste of registering an institution profile, which will typically include an institution overview, an institution organogram, an institution course listing (in the event of a training institution), or the like.

[0036] Figure 5 indicates that an employer institution 14.3 will have the opportunity to upload job vacancies onto a job search section of the proprietary system 10a. Learners 12.1 to 12.3 can then automatically submit their profile to the employer 14.3 i this embodiment for consideration for job opportunities .

[0037] Figure 6 indicates that an employer institutio 14.3 can access learner's career profiles 12.1 to 12.5. No existing or previous linking need exist for the employe institution to perform a search just consent from the learner to have their profile details available to potential employers. The employer can then approach such learners to offer them opportunities for which they are qualified.

[0038] In Figure 7, the learning management system is schematically indicated with learners 12 on the one side and institutions 14 on the other side. The various learners 12 and institutions 14 ar connected via the Internet 18 to the proprietary learning management server 20 which hosts facilities for vacancies 22 and for tx^~aining courses 24. Importantly, the various learners 12 can be linked to the various employer institutions 14 and said links can be maintained while the learners 12 are employed and can be severed when the learners 12 terminate their employment with a particular employer .

[0039] As indicated, the server 20 provides a computer- implemented version of the method by providing a job search interface 22. This interface presents the data fields that relates to a particular job description such as a job title, a job description, job responsibilities, and the like. The interface 22 can further accept inputs from a learner to apply for a particular position via the interface 22 on the proprietary learning management server 20.

[0040] The proprietary learning management server 20 further provides a computer-implemented version of the method by providing a training course interface 24. This interface presents data fields that relate to predefined training courses: offered by the training and educational institutions and hosted on proprietary learning management server 20. In particular the course outline, duration, cost, mode (i.e. face-to- face or online) and the like, will be presented on the interface. Learners will be able to apply and pay for a course through the training course interface 24 (not shown here) . Once confirmation has been received from the training or educational institution, a link between the institution and the learner will automatically be established.

[0041] As can be seen, there is provided learner profile registration interfaces 22.1 to 22.4 and institution profile registration interfaces 24.1 to 24.4 for receiving learner profile data and institution profile data. It should be noted that the learning management systems show here as 24.1 to 24.4 can eithe be part of the proprietary learning management or a 3^κα party learning management system which is linked, via an API to the proprietary learning management.. The proprietary learning management server 20 is provided with an internal association data field to associate learner profiles registered via the learner profile registrat ion interfaces 22.1 to 22.4 with institution profiles, registered via the institution profile registratio interfaces 22.1 to 22.4. The server 20 is furthermore provided with an internal authorization data field indicating permission of an institution 14 to update a learner's 12 career data from the i stitution ' s proflie .

[0042] The proprietary learning management server 20 provides learner profile registration means, institution profile registration means, association means to associate a learner profile with an institution profile and update means to update a learner' career data from an institution's profile .

[0043] The inventor is of the opinion that the invention as described provides a new method to track a learner's career and to a learning management system and computer implemented invention which will provide an automatic validation of career data of learners .

[0044] As mentioned above, it is to be appreciated that, with the above-described computer implemented system, reference to a "means" specifically includes any one or more of a computer program product for use in a local or dispersed computing system, a computer readable modulated carrier signal for interpretation by a local or dispersed computing system, or a computer readable medium of instructions for enabling a local or dispersed computing system to provide such "means" within the context of the description. In addition, such "means" may further expressly comprise any of the hardware and/or software components, independently or in combination, provided for in the description below, as will be understood by the skilled addressee .

[0045] In general, in a networked information or data communications system, a user has access to one or more terminals which are capable of requesting and/or receiving information or data from local or remote information sources. In such a communications system, a terminal may be a type of processing system, computer or computerised device, personal computer (PC) , mobile, cellular or satellite telephone, mobile data terminal, portable computer. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) , pager, thin client, or any other similar type of digital electronic device. The capability of such a terminal to request and/or receive information or data can be provided by software, hardware and/or firmware. A terminal may include or be associated with other devices, fo example a local data storage device such as a hard disk drive or solid state drive.

[ 0046 ] An information source can include a server, or any type of terminal, that may be associated with one or more storage devices that are able to store information or data, for example in one or more databases residing on a storage device. The exchange of information (i.e., the request and/or receipt of information or data) between a terminal and an information source, or other terminal (s) , is facilitated by a communication means. Th communication means can be realised by physical cables, for example a metallic cable such as a telephone line, semi -conducting cables, electromagnetic signals, for example radio-f equency signals or infra-red signals, optical fibre cables, satellite links or any other such medium or combination thereof connected to a network infrastructure .

[0047] The network in astructure can include devices such as a telephone switch, base station, bridge, router, or any other such specialised network component, which facilitates the connection: between a terminal and an informatio source. Collectively, an interconnected group of terminals, communicatio means, in astructure and information sources is referred to as: a network. The network itself may take a variety of forms. For example, it may be a compute network, telecommunications network, data communications network, Local Area Network (LAN) , Wid Area Network (WAN) , wireless network, Internetwork, Intranetwork, the Internet and developments thereof, transient or temporary networks, combinations of the above or any other type of network providing for communication between computerised, electronic or digital devices■ More than one distinct network can be provided, for example a privat and a public network. A network as referenced in this specification should be taken to include any type of terminal or other similar type of electronic device, or part thereof, which is rendered such that it is capable of communicating with at least one other terminal .

[0048] The Hyper-Text Mark-Up Language (HTML) and Hyper- Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) , and developments thereof, have made th Internet or World Wide Web (WWW) very accessible. The exchange of information on the Internet is further facilitated through hyper-text documents. Hyper-Text documents are unique in that they use tags to define links which, when selected, retrieve the related information from within the same document or from a new document altogether. The links are defined using HTML which provides a document formatting method which adapts in a consistent manner to any computer on which it is displayed. HTML tags are used to define various components of text, visual o audio which make up a hyper-text document, including such things as formatting and linking to other documents. HTML tags which link documents on one Internet information source to those on another do so b associating a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) with the referenced information .

[0049] One appeal of the Internet is the large-scale interconnection of public and private networks. A proxy is a host computer or mechanism (usually an application program) on a network nod or terminal which performs specialised functions on a network. One such function is to provide network security. Security is provided between a private and public network by requiring communications (i.e. information or data exchanges) to pass through the proxy. Another function of a proxy is to store or cache recently accessed information, for exampl copies of documents and images. If a web browser desires information which is located outside the local network, that is to say on an information source attached to an external network, communications pass from the web browser through the proxy before entering the external network. Thus, a proxy may operate to deny access to a private network from a public network by not replying to HTTP commands received from the public network.

[0050] A particular embodiment, of the present invention can be realised using a processing system, an example of which is shown in Fig. 8. In particular, the processing system 100 generally includes at least one processor 102, or processing unit or plurality of processors, memory 104, at least one input device 106 and at least one output device 108, coupled together via a bus or group of: buses 110. In certain embodiments, input device 106 and output device 108 could be the same device. An interface 112 can also be provided for coupling the processing system 100 to one or more peripheral devices, for example interface 112 could be a PCI card or PC card. At least one storage device 114 which houses at least one database 116 can also be provided. The memory 104 can be any form of memory device, for example, volatile or nonvolatile memory, solid state storage devices, magnetic devices, etc. The processor 102 could include more than one distinct processing device, for example to handle different functions within the processing system 100.

[ 0051] Input device 106 receives input data 118 and can include, for example, a keyboard, a pointer device such as a pen- like device or a mouse, audio receiving device for voice controlled activation suc a a microphone, data receiver or antenna such as a modem or wireless data adaptor, data acquisition card, etc. input data 118 could come from different sources, for example keyboard instructions in conjunction with data received via a network. Output device 108 produces or generates output data 120 and can include, for example, a display device or monitor in which case output data 120 is visual, a printe in which case Output data 120 is printed, a port for example a USB port, a peripheral component adaptor, a data transmitter or antenna such as a modem or wireless network adaptor, etc. Output data 120 could be distinct and derived from different output devices, for example a visual display on a monitor in conjunction with data transmitted to a network. A user could vie data output, or a interpretation of the data output, on, for example, a monitor or using a printer. The storage device 114 can be any form of data or information storage means, for example, volatile or non-volatile memory, solid state storage devices, magnetic devices, etc.

[0052] In use, the processing system 100 is adapted to: allow data or information to be stored in and/or retrieved from, via wired or wireless communica ion means:, the at least one database 116. The interface .112 may allow wired and/or wireless communication between the processing unit 102 and peripheral components that may serve a specialised purpose. The processor 102 receives instructions as input data 118 via input devic 106 and can display processed resul s or other output to a user by utilising output device 108. More than one input device 106 and/or output device 108 can be provided. It should be appreciated that the processing system 100 may be any form of terminal, server, specialised hardware, or the like .

[0053] The processing system 100 may be a part of a networked communications system 200, as shown in Fig. 9. Processing system 100 could connect to network. 202, for example the Internet or a WAN. Input data 118 and output, data 120 could be communicated to other devices via network 202. Other terminals, for example, thin client 204, further processing systems 206 and 208, notebook computer 210, mainframe computer 212, PDA_: 214, pen-based computer 216, server 218, etc., can be connected to network 202. A large variety of other types of terminals or configurations could be utilised. The transfer of information and/or data over network 202 can be achieved using wired communications means 220 or wireless communications means 222. Server 218 can facilitate, the transfer of data between network 202 and one or more databases 224. Server 218 and one or more databases 224 provide an example of an information source.-

[0054] Othe networks may communicate wit network 202. For example, telecommunications network 230 could facilitate the transfer of data between network 202 and mobile or cellular telephone 232 or a PDA- type device 23 , by utilising wireless communication: means 236 and receiving/transmitting station 238. Satellite communications network 240 could communicate with satellite signal receiver 242 which receives data signals from satellite 244 which in turn is in remote communicatio with satellite signal transmitter 246. Terminals, for example further processing system 248, notebook computer 250 or satellite telephone 252, can thereby communicate with network 202. A local network 260, which for example ma be a private network, LAN, etc., may also be connected to network 202. For example, network 202 could be connected with Ethernet 262 which connects terminals 264, server 266 which controls the transfer of data to and/or from database 268, and printer 270. Various other types of networks could be utilised.

[0055] The processing system 100 is adapted to communicate with other terminals, for example further processing systems 206, 208, by sending and receiving data, 118, 120, to and from the network 202, thereby facilitating possible communication with other components of the networked communications system 200.

[ 0056 ] Thus, for example, the networks 202, 230, 240 may form part of, or be connected to, the Internet, in which case, the terminals 206, 212, 218, for example, may be web servers, Internet terminals or the like. The networks 202, 230, 240, 260 may be or form part, of other communication networks, such as LAN, WAN, Ethernet, token ring, FDDI ring, star, etc., networks, or mobile telephone networks, such as GSM, CDMA or 3G, etc, networks, and may be wholly or partially wired, including for example optical fibre, or wireless networks, depending on a particular implementation,

[00573 The present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment, firmware, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. A a result, any of the proprietary or 3^id party systems 10 above, and/or learner or institution LMSs or terminals, may take any of the forms of the processing system 100 interconnected with any variations of the communications system 200, as will be understood by the skilled addressee.

[0058] Optional embodiments of the present invention may also be said to broadly consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated herein, individually or collectively, in any or all combinations of two or more of the parts, elements or features, and wherein specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which the invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

[0059] It is to be appreciated that reference to "one example" or "an example" of the invention is not made in an exclusive sense. Accordingly, one example may exemplify certain aspects of the invention, whilst other aspects are exemplified in a different example. These examples are intended to assist the skilled person in performing the invention and are not intended to limit the overall scope of the invention in any way unless the context clearly indicates otherwise . [0060] I is to be understood that the terminology employed above is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Th described embodiment is intended to be illustrative of the invention, without limiting the scope thereof. The invention is capable of being practised with various modifications and additions as will readily occur to those skilled in the art .

[0061] Various substantially and specifically practical and useful exemplary embodiments of the claimed subject matter are described herein, textually and/or graphically, including the best mode, if any, known to the inventors for carrying out the claimed subject matter. Variations (e.g. modifications and/or enhancements) of one or more embodiments described herein might become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this application.

[0062] The inventor (s) expects skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventor (s) intends for the claimed subject matter to be practiced other tha as specifically described herein. Accordingly, as permitted by law, the claimed subject matter includes and covers all equivalents of the claimed subject matter and all improvements to the claimed subject, matter. Moreover, every combination of the above described elements, activities, and all possible variations thereof are encompassed by the claimed subject matter unless otherwise clearly indicated herein, clearly and specifically disclaimed, or otherwise clearly contradicted by context .

[0063] The us of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate one or more embodiments and does not pose a limitation on the scope of any claimed subject matter unless otherwise stated. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed subject matter as essential to the practice of the claimed subject matter.

[00643 The use of words that indicate orientation or direction: of travel is not to be considered limiting. Thus, words such as "front", "back", "rear"", "side", "up", down", "upper", "lower", "top", "bottom", "forwards", "backwards", "towards", "distal", "proximal", "in", "out" and synonyms, antonyms and derivatives thereof have been selected for convenience only, unless the context indicates otherwise. The inventor (s) envisage that various exemplary embodiments of the claimed subject matter can be supplied in an particular orientation and the claimed subject matter is intended to include such orientations .

[0065] The use of the terms "a", "an", "said", "the", and/or similar referents in the context of describing various embodiments (especially in the context of the claimed subject matter) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms "comprising," "having," "including," and "containing" are to be construed as open- ended term (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to,") unless otherwise noted.

[0066] Moreover, when any number or range is described herein, unless clearly stated otherwise, that number or range is approximate. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individuall to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwis indicated herein, and each separate value and. each separate sub-range defined by such separate values is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. For example, if a range of 1 to 10 is described, that range includes all values there between, such as for example, 1.1, 2.5, 3.335, 5, 6.179, 8.9999, etc., and includes all sub- anges there between, such as for example, 1 to 3.65, 2.8 to 8,14, 1.93 to 9, etc.

[0067] Accordingly, every portion (e.g., title, field, background, summary, description, abstract, drawing figure, etc.) of this application, other than the claims themselves, is to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive; and the scope of subject matter protected by any patent that issues based on this application is defined only by the claims of that patent .

Claims

1. A method of tracking and validating a learner's career, the method including the steps of :

registering a learner ' s profile on a database,- registering an institution's profile on a database

permitting a learner to associate a learner's profile to an institution's profile; and

permitting an institution to update the learner's career profile linked to the institution's prof le.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the learner's profile includes any one or more of the following identity fields: Name, Surname, Identification data, Date of Birth, Marital Status, Sex, Next of Ki details, Bank. Account Details, Details of Superannuation Fund, Personal and Professional Referee data. Tax File Number (Australia) , National Insurance Number (UK.) , Unique Employee Number .

3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2 , wherein the learner's profile includes career data fields.

4. The method of claim 4, wherein the career data fields include educational data, employment data, experience data, information about the role, responsibilities and timeframes in each of the positions, and the contact details of a contact person at each institution and supporting evidence of successful completion of any education and training (certificates) .

5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the step of registering a learner's profile on a database includes permitting a learner to modify the learner's identity fields and the learner's career data fields.

6. The method of an one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the institution profile includes any one or more of the following: an institution overview, an institution organogram, an institution course listing (in the event of a training institution] , or the like,

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to €, which includes the step of uploading a learner's profile to an institution's profile .

8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7 , which includes the step of downloading an institution's profile to a learner's profile .

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein permitting an institution to update a learner's career profile linked to an institutions profile includes the ste of authenticating the institution to access the learner's career profile,

10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the institution is permitted to update certain data fields of the learner's career profile.

11. The method of claim 10 wherei the data fields that are updated include the job title, job description, job responsibilities, information about past roles, responsibilities and timeframes in each of the positions, contact details of a contact person at each institution, and supporting evidence of successful completion of any education and training.

12. The method of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein permitting an institution to update a learner's career profile linked to an institution's profile includes preventing a learner to update the same fields once an institution updated them.

13. The method of any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the steps of permitting a learner to associate a learner's profile to an institution's profile and permitting an institution to update the learner's career profile linked to its profile are suspended once learner is no longer associated with a particular employer.

14. The method of claim 13, which includes the step of preventing an unauthorized institution to modif career data fields once a learner dissociates the learner profile from the institution profile.

15. The method of any one of claims 1 to 14, which includes the step of providing a hyperlink to a learner's profile, which can be forwarded to prospective employers .

16. Th method of any one of claims 1 to 15, which includes the ste of posting on an institution's profile a list of vacancies .

17. The method of any one of claims 1 to 16, which includes the step of searching learner's profiles according to predefined criteria.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the institution searches for a candidate that conforms to certain predefined requirements and presen ing an offer to the learner.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the offer presented to the candidate is an offer of employment.

20. The method of any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the database links to a social media database having learner profile data fields and institution profile data fields.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the database is linked to any number of 3 party learning manageftient systems , Lmkedln database, a Faeebook^* database, or the like.

22. A learning management system, which includes :

learner profile registration means;

institution profile registration means;

association means to associate a learner profile with an institution profile and

update means to update a learner's career data from an institution's profile.

2.3. The learner management system of claim 22, which includes learner identity fields, which includes any one or more of the following data fields: Name, Surname, Identification data, Date of Birth, Marital Status, Sex, Next of Kin details, Bank Account Details, Details of Superannuation Fund, Personal and Professional Referee data, Tax File Number (Australia) , National Insurance Number (UK) , Unique Employee Numbe .

24. The learning management system of claim 23, which includes learner career data fields, the learne career data including educational data, employment data, experience data, information about the role, responsibilities and timeframes in each of the positions, contact details of a contact person at each institution, and supporting evidence of successful completion of any education and training.

25. The learning management system of any one of claims 22 to 24:, which includes a user interface operable to host and present data from the learning management system to a user.

26. The learning management system of claim 25, wherein the user interface is in the form of a we host, a application host, or the like, operable to host and present data from the learning management system to a user.

27. A computer programme product implemented to track a learner's career, said computer program product configured to enable a processing system to provide:

a learner profile registration interface

an institution profile registration interface.,- association dat field to associate a learner profile registered via the learner profile registratio interface with an institution profile,: regis ered via the institution profile registration interface; and

an authorization data field indicating permission of an institution to update a learner's career data from the institution's profile.