Returning to education for most adults feels like learning to dance after not being on the dancefloor for years. It rekindles a curiosity that household bills, work and life quietly smothered.
For many adults the barriers in front of them range from feeling too old to simply not having time. But if we want to get people back into education we need to show them the advantages it can bring. And as a teacher, it’s not so much about teaching the subject as inspiring them and rebuilding confidence.
The first job is to remove any stigma that FE is remedial, and instead view it as an admirable act because it demonstrates ambition, dedication and endurance.
Education for most adult learners is not a reset button but an upgrade which can lead to career change, higher pay, personal achievement or simply to learn about what interests them.
Adults come into class with stories and experience. As a teacher, I view that first step into the classroom as an act of absolute bravery.
An environment that is positive and supportive is vital to encourage them to continue. This can be done with group discussions and fostering a community within a class which maintains motivation.
Modern adult education also needs to be flexible and affordable. It must fit around learners’ lives because if there are clashes, they will give up.
However, this all depends on the course. Workplace learning has 90 per cent retention because the motivation is practical. For community colleges it’s roughly at 40-60 per cent which is mostly due to the emotional and practical demands from working a full-time job and studying. For online courses it’s 5-15 per cent.
Department for Education qualification achievement rate data indicates 81 per cent of adult learners in 2023-2024 achieved their intended qualification.
There is also a rise in learning for personal enrichment, as can be seen with the Adult Participation in Learning Survey in 2024, with 52 per cent of adults engaging in education in the previous three years. This is a growing trend and the highest rate since the survey began in 1996. A blended learning approach such as evening classes, online options and modular learning are key to upskilling adults.
Real-life success stories are also important for recruitment. Many people feel like they left it too late because of an invisible timeline that was constructed by society. But if we start sharing stories about adults who achieved their goals later in life, then we change the narrative. People love to see ‘people like them’ succeed and this can break the ‘it’s too late, what’s the point?’ mindset.
Encouragement for education later in life is also vital for those who may have felt education wasn’t for them at school, or even for those who went to university but found themselves in the wrong field.
I always thought the idea you should know what you want to do in life by 18 or 21 was preposterous. Plus, society and the job market have changed so people often move jobs or fields several times in their lifetime.
Success is not limited by age and therefore neither should education. People develop in their own time and education needs to reflect this.
Adult learners do not yet have the same student finance available to them as 18-year-olds do. Most pay out of their own pockets. However, with the state pension age being raised and the need for more people being upskilled in fields because of technological changes, the lifelong learning entitlement set to be introduced next year cannot come soon enough.
Flexibility must be the norm in adult learning, whether that means online training or rolling start dates. Learning can be integrated into work.
We celebrate students passing exams at 18 or 21, but let’s start applauding those who gain a new qualification at 40 or 60.
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