Most vulnerable are least likely to access training, report warns
People who most need access to training and learning are the ones least likely to access it, with least qualified adults missing out on job-boosting training and education.
Adults with the lowest levels of educational attainment were most likely to report that they faced barriers to learning or training, Office for National Statistics analysis of The Adult Education Survey 2016, has shown.
The main reasons for the low uptake of learning or training among those without qualifications were ill-health, lack of confidence (both 40%), family/caring commitments (39%) and money (34%).
The report reveals that older people, those from the poorest backgrounds, the unemployed and those with fewest qualifications are less likely to engage in training than their younger, wealthier, employed and better-educated contemporaries.
The report found that almost two-thirds (63%) of people who engaged in learning said it enhanced their job prospects, while half (47%) said it improved their personal skills and around a quarter said it boosted their pay. The most common motivation was to “learn something new”, cited by just under three-quarters (72%) of respondents.
The University and College Union (UCU) said the report demonstrated the benefits of training and learning and that it was vital that opportunities were open to all.
A recent report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies revealed that funding for adult education has been cut by 45% since 2009-10.
UCU head of policy Matt Waddup said: ‘This report captures the benefits of training and learning, but exposes how the people who might most benefit are being failed by the current system. Training delivers benefits at work and in people’s personal life, yet opportunities are restricted for the most vulnerable in our society.
‘We have seen huge cuts to adult education at a time when the further education sector should be at the centre of our planning for the future. The government needs to urgently invest in adult education with targeted support to ensure that everyone who can benefit can access training.’
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