Lack of time and money hinder participation in lifelong learning

Citation

(2003), "Lack of time and money hinder participation in lifelong learning", Journal of European Industrial Training, Vol. 27 No. 8. https://doi.org/10.1108/jeit.2003.00327hab.004

Lack of time and money hinder participation in lifelong learning

Lack of time and money hinder participation in lifelong learning

Nine out of ten Europeans feel that lifelong learning is very important, but only 10 per cent consider that they have the opportunity to take part, according to a Eurobarometer poll.

Carried out by the European Commission and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, it reveals that most Europeans would prefer lifelong learning to take place in their regular working or home setting, rather than in traditional educational establishments. They consider the main obstacles to lifelong learning to be their lack of time because of family and work responsibilities, and the expense of learning.

Germans and Icelanders attach the most importance to lifelong learning, while the citizens of Belgium, Ireland, The Netherlands and Greece are more sceptical than average. Eight Europeans in ten believe that lifelong learning helps people to cope with personal change and labour-market demands, and that it helps them to take their lives into their own hands and live full and satisfying lives.

Under half the respondents in the Nordic countries said they do not take part in education and training, but in Greece and Portugal only 20 per cent of people have done so in the past year. The proportion of those indicating they are simply not interested in learning is especially high in Spain (47 per cent) and Portugal (50 per cent). The survey also confirms that people with higher educational and occupational levels are more likely to take part in education and training.

There is almost unanimous agreement that reading, writing and arithmetic are the most useful skills in all areas of life, but significant importance is also attached to information and communication technology skills, foreign languages, social and communication skills.

The poll – of 18,000 Europeans in the 15 EU member states, plus Norway and Iceland – reveals that 58 per cent know how to use a computer, and that most Europeans cannot speak a foreign language.