When we think of people in education, our minds typically picture younger learners. However, as technology advances and the workplace changes, adult education can provide a solution to staying adaptable and ahead of advancements. For many adult learners, embarking on a brand-new learning journey can be quite scary and overwhelming. Change for everyone can be daunting, and there can be a lot of self-doubt in ability. Sadly, this includes myths surrounding age holding people back from learning new skills or qualifications. However, the end result can give learners a great sense of achievement, boost their employability level, and have a new-found confidence and growth within themselves, no matter their life stage.
Before adult learners embark on a new learning journey, they may feel their age, confidence level and time constraints could hinder their potential. It’s all too easy to revert to the myth, “I’m too old for that!” and learners may even feel like they already know everything within the sector they work in. However, as the job market and workplace evolve, it’s getting easier and easier to feel left behind. When starting adult education, however daunting it feels, it’s important to remember, there is no age limit to learning, and it’s never too late to learn a new skill or qualification.
Participation in Adult Learning
A 2023 study from the Learning and Work Institute looked at adult participation in learning and showed participation decreases with age. The data collected showed learners who were aged between 65-74, made up just 24% of adult learning participants, compared to younger learners, who contributed 69% of 25–34-year-olds. The study found younger learners were, “More than twice as likely to take part in learning than older people.” Work or career reasons were listed as the largest motivator to learn a new skill or qualification. This suggests more people are aware of the benefits of adult education to advance their careers and enhance them, but understandably could be put off from learning because of other responsibilities. Generally, adult learners will have more responsibilities than younger learners, such as for family and childcare reasons, or trying to fit studying around work commitments. Flexibility whilst learning is vital for adults who are studying, and regardless of age or stage in life, learners have more choice and further support in adult education to suit them personally, as not every learner’s journey will be the same.
Adult Learners who are Upskilling
Feeling left behind is a common perception, as many adult learners perhaps don’t realise upskilling and aspects of retraining build upon skills which they’ve already gained throughout their employment journey. Learners who are upskilling, aren’t starting from scratch, even if it may feel like it. Continued learning ensures learners’ hard-earned skills are staying relevant to keep up with sector demands and aren’t at risk of stagnating. Adult learners who are upskilling for their career paths, will benefit from skills such as possessing the knowledge on how to set achievable goals and how to manage their workloads. Most learners will also be familiar with self-motivation for their studies and will have built-up resilience in the event of setbacks. These are just a few great qualities adult learners bring to the table and will help them on their continued learning journey.
Barriers for Adult Learners
Aside from age being a perceived barrier to accessing adult education, past bad schooling experiences may have heavily discouraged learners from putting themselves forward to learn new skills or qualifications. This will have had an impact on confidence levels and will perhaps cause them to feel nervous about returning to a classroom environment. Learners who have had negative experiences can be feeling a lot of pressure, anxiety and shame over feeling inadequate for not having knowledge they feel everyone else already has. Education now has more of an understanding and consideration of individual learners’ needs, so can offer further support whilst providing a safe learning space. It is important to remember that not every course of learning is set in a school environment and there is now more awareness about the different ways people learn successfully, so support is in place to ensure learners are getting the most out of their learning journey.
Embracing New Opportunities
Focus Awards offer centres a variety of qualifications for roles across a range of sectors and are constantly expanding! Child Development and Wellbeing, Teaching and Lecturing and Administration are just a couple of sectors for centres to offer learners qualifications in. Focus Awards also offer various levels of qualifications to centres, starting from Entry-level, all the way through to Level 5 qualifications, so learners have never had more choice to thrive in their career paths. There are limitless opportunities to succeed and it’s never too late to do so.
See our website for a full list of qualifications on offer to centres, or please email info@focusawards.org.uk/
