Why adult education is invaluable

Further education is not something limited to under 18s. Adult education is an integral part of the further education world, with over 1 million adults studying and training in colleges across England as we speak. Adult education is vital for individuals and organisations wanting to improve their business’ prospects and the skills and qualifications of their workers.

Boris Johnson announced his “levelling up” agenda in May 2021 and stated that adult education is a key part of this and here we’re looking at the invaluable benefits adult education brings.

Education for improving social mobility
The Social Mobility Commission’s State of the Nation report 2021 highlighted significant achievement gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged children, and these gaps are getting wider. Quality adult education can help to address this gap, with tools such as apprenticeships vital in helping adults gain the necessary skills they need to improve their social situation and chances of mobility. Investing in adult education helps improve prospects in disadvantaged areas and their residents.

Education for adult physical and mental health
One government study found that people taking up study and education in later life are positively impacted by this change. Adult learners involved in the research were found to experience a range of lifestyle benefits from smoking cessation to more exercise and lower alcohol consumption. The NHS also assert that lifelong learning can be transformative for your mental health, benefitting you both in terms of self-confidence and self-esteem.

Education for plugging skills gaps
There is a recognised digital skills gap in the UK, but there may also be individual skills gaps within organisations. Quality adult education and courses can help to power up your people with the necessary skills to ensure there are no gaps within your organisation’s skillset. Helping to support your people develop new skills is cost effective and beneficial for both them and your company.  It saves on the extensive costs of recruiting for new people when you could be making the most of those you have already.

Education for retraining and developing new skills
Adult education’s main function is to give employees the chance to develop new skills and advance those they already have. This can both benefit their career progression and bring new value to your business’ offering. In times of economic uncertainty, the chance to retrain becomes ever more important so employees can futureproof themselves against incoming change.

Adult education should not be an afterthought and training opportunities should be something every employer offers. Our range of online courses is designed with employers in mind and provides relevant and valuable skills for the workplace, as well as their careers.

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