For more than 25 years, the Adult Participation in Learning Survey has provided a unique insight into adult learning across the UK. It adopts a deliberately broad definition of learning, reflecting the fact that learning is about so much more than formal courses and qualifications. The 2023 survey shows almost one in two adults took part in learning in the last three years, the highest rate since the survey started in 1996. The increase in participation since the pandemic has been driven by a rise in self-directed learning, including online. This is often for personal or leisure reasons or gen
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For more than 25 years, the Adult Participation in Learning Survey has provided a unique insight into adult learning across the UK. It adopts a deliberately broad definition of learning, reflecting the fact that learning is about so much more than formal courses and qualifications. The 2023 survey shows almost one in two adults took part in learning in the last three years, the highest rate since the survey started in 1996. The increase in participation since the pandemic has been driven by a rise in self-directed learning, including online. This is often for personal or leisure reasons or general interest. This is clearly positive, but other opportunities to learn have become more limited over time: employer and Government investment in England are down in the last decade.
There is more positive news in the narrowing over time of some inequalities in learning participation between groups. This includes by age, important given our aging population. However, inequalities remain stark and persistent and, in the case of regional differences, may in fact have widened in recent years. The biggest reasons adults give for not taking part in learning are cost, feeling too old, time pressures and also not wanting to / not seeing the benefits. That points to the need to build a culture of learning and offer people a range of flexible learning options.
The 2023 survey indicated that differences between geographical regions may be widening. With greater devolution of learning and skills policy and funding, it is important to better understand patterns of participation at a national and regional level. This can help inform where interventions and support are best targeted and may make the greatest impact. Data from the 2023 survey has been used to take a closer look at geographical differences in levels of adult participation in learning. Reports (published in August 2024) have been produced for Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and all nine regions of England by Ellen Wood, Oriane Nermond, Emily Jones and Corin Egglestone.
Edited excerpts from publisher's website.
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https://learningandwork.org.uk/resources/research-and-reports/adult-participation-in-learning-survey-2023-regional-reports/
